AFTER several South Andros residents protested the island's deteriorating road conditions, MP Leon Lundy assured yesterday that road repairs will begin soon and criticised those he accused of "trying to stir up confusion" about the project.

Residents have long complained about the poor state of the roads, saying it affects their quality of life. #Some have lost their vehicles or had to replace car parts due to damage from potholes, while others have raised safety concerns. #“This road break up my car over a year now,” said one protestor, “I’m without trans and I’m a lifelong PLP but I am ashamed of what’s going on in South Andros. Lundy ain’t doing nothing in South Andros.” #Community activist Julian Gibson claimed that a new contractor was hired a while ago to begin roadworks, but nothing has been done. He accused the contractors of dragging their feet. #“It seems like we have to cry out which is disrespectful for anything we want and these things that we want, we deserve to have because we are Bahamians. Yes there is a process, but there is no process when it comes to Abaco and Exuma so why we have to wait months and months. The people are frustrated,” Mr Gibson said. #“We’ve been pleading with the government. The contractor might have his issues trying to get tar and trying to get his equipment but just scrape the road a little bit smoothly so people can transit over the road.” #Mr Lundy dismissed the criticism yesterday, explaining that the contractor’s contract was finalised only a month ago. #He noted that the new contractors have already begun prepping the roads, with equipment expected to arrive this week. #“They know the work is about to be done,” Mr Lundy added. “I fought to make sure they got asphalt rather than the sand seal which was signed in the new contract.” #He added that a water component was added to the project, with plans to pipe #water from Bluff to Smith’s Hill to improve the water supply in the southern part of the island. #Mr Lundy said Ministry of Works officials visited the island last Friday to ensure the work would be done properly and suggested that the protest organisers had a hidden agenda. #“At the end of the day, like I told people, I’m not doing this for praise. I’m doing this to ensure the island gets the needed upgrades,” Mr Lundy said. #However, Mr Gibson countered that residents are tired of hearing excuses and just want the work completed. #Earlier this year, the Davis administration canceled an $8m contract with the initial contractor, KW Paving, following residents’ complaints about the quality of their work. #“Y’all done send down two contractors and nothing happen yet,” another protestor added. “We ain’t want to hear about tomorrow. Let’s hear what’s going on today.”

Residents have long complained about the poor state of the roads, saying it affects their quality of life.

Some have lost their vehicles or had to replace car parts due to damage from potholes, while others have raised safety concerns.

“This road break up my car over a year now,” said one protestor, “I’m without trans and I’m a lifelong PLP but I am ashamed of what’s going on in South Andros. Lundy ain’t doing nothing in South Andros.”

Community activist Julian Gibson claimed that a new contractor was hired a while ago to begin roadworks, but nothing has been done. He accused the contractors of dragging their feet.

“It seems like we have to cry out which is disrespectful for anything we want and these things that we want, we deserve to have because we are Bahamians. Yes there is a process, but there is no process when it comes to Abaco and Exuma so why we have to wait months and months. The people are frustrated,” Mr Gibson said.

“We’ve been pleading with the government. The contractor might have his issues trying to get tar and trying to get his equipment but just scrape the road a little bit smoothly so people can transit over the road.”

Mr Lundy dismissed the criticism yesterday, explaining that the contractor’s contract was finalised only a month ago.

He noted that the new contractors have already begun prepping the roads, with equipment expected to arrive this week.

“They know the work is about to be done,” Mr Lundy added. “I fought to make sure they got asphalt rather than the sand seal which was signed in the new contract.”

He added that a water component was added to the project, with plans to pipe

water from Bluff to Smith’s Hill to improve the water supply in the southern part of the island.

Mr Lundy said Ministry of Works officials visited the island last Friday to ensure the work would be done properly and suggested that the protest organisers had a hidden agenda.

“At the end of the day, like I told people, I’m not doing this for praise. I’m doing this to ensure the island gets the needed upgrades,” Mr Lundy said.

However, Mr Gibson countered that residents are tired of hearing excuses and just want the work completed.

Earlier this year, the Davis administration canceled an $8m contract with the initial contractor, KW Paving, following residents’ complaints about the quality of their work.

“Y’all done send down two contractors and nothing happen yet,” another protestor added. “We ain’t want to hear about tomorrow. Let’s hear what’s going on today.”

 

CAPTAIN Leslie Johnson spent $760 to replace control arms on his car after the jeep fell into holes on South Andros' bad roads. His wife's car -- just purchased on Friday -- began squeaking and had to be taken to a mechanic. Brandon Miller, meanwhile, is planning to replace his car tyres two weeks after getting new ones.

South Andros residents are frustrated by the deplorable state of their roads, prompting the Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs to say in a statement on Friday that the government “shares their concerns surrounding the safety and accessibility of proper roads for residents". #“The government has reached out to the respective contractor expressing its concern over the slow pace of the road repairs in South Andros as well as concerns surrounding the quality of those repairs.” #The ministry said letters were sent to the contractor in June and December 2023, and the company’s response is being reviewed “to determine the appropriate course of action". #The ministry did not say who has the contract. However, in August 2021, during the waning days of the Minnis administration, the ministry said an $8m contract was signed with KW Paving to repair roads from Driggs Hill to Mars Bay. The project was expected to start within three weeks of that announcement and to end within 12 months. #Julian Gibson, owner of Eula Nixon Convenience Store and Last Stop Gas Station, said the roads worsened after the contractor started. #He believes the government was “experimenting” when it gave the company the contract. #“It was half-ass work,” he said. “A bunch of children playing in the mud.” #Although he is retired, Mr Gibson said the roads hurt him because some refuse to drive to his businesses to avoid them. #“The roads been bad before the PLP came to power,” he said. “The FNM rushed a contract before the election. The PLP met it on the table, but government has had two years to fix it. They dealing with Abaco and Exuma so there’s no excuse to not deal with Andros. #“Various persons have lost bearings for wheels and suffered vehicle damage. In Nassau you could duck roads. But this is the main thoroughfare where people go to work. School bus be bouncing up and down and fishermen have to use that road. Everybody in Andros have to use that road. It’s a disgrace. Everyone has had vehicle damage.” #As Mr Gibson spoke to The Tribune by cellphone, people entered his store and began complaining about the roads. #Some volunteered to express their distress. #Captain Johnson, 56, said he just changed the control arms on his 2013 GMC Terrain Jeep on Friday, noting he can’t avoid the roads. #Mr Miller said the roads are “beat up bad", requiring him to change his tyres frequently.

South Andros residents are frustrated by the deplorable state of their roads, prompting the Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs to say in a statement on Friday that the government “shares their concerns surrounding the safety and accessibility of proper roads for residents".

“The government has reached out to the respective contractor expressing its concern over the slow pace of the road repairs in South Andros as well as concerns surrounding the quality of those repairs.”

The ministry said letters were sent to the contractor in June and December 2023, and the company’s response is being reviewed “to determine the appropriate course of action".

The ministry did not say who has the contract. However, in August 2021, during the waning days of the Minnis administration, the ministry said an $8m contract was signed with KW Paving to repair roads from Driggs Hill to Mars Bay. The project was expected to start within three weeks of that announcement and to end within 12 months.

Julian Gibson, owner of Eula Nixon Convenience Store and Last Stop Gas Station, said the roads worsened after the contractor started.

He believes the government was “experimenting” when it gave the company the contract.

“It was half-ass work,” he said. “A bunch of children playing in the mud.”

Although he is retired, Mr Gibson said the roads hurt him because some refuse to drive to his businesses to avoid them.

“The roads been bad before the PLP came to power,” he said. “The FNM rushed a contract before the election. The PLP met it on the table, but government has had two years to fix it. They dealing with Abaco and Exuma so there’s no excuse to not deal with Andros.

“Various persons have lost bearings for wheels and suffered vehicle damage. In Nassau you could duck roads. But this is the main thoroughfare where people go to work. School bus be bouncing up and down and fishermen have to use that road. Everybody in Andros have to use that road. It’s a disgrace. Everyone has had vehicle damage.”

As Mr Gibson spoke to The Tribune by cellphone, people entered his store and began complaining about the roads.

Some volunteered to express their distress.

Captain Johnson, 56, said he just changed the control arms on his 2013 GMC Terrain Jeep on Friday, noting he can’t avoid the roads.

Mr Miller said the roads are “beat up bad", requiring him to change his tyres frequently.

 

The Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs, beginning in January 2024, is set to undertake an 'extensive' road improvement program in New Providence at a cost of roughly $91 million.

While speaking on the project at a weekly Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) press briefing, Works Minister Clay Sweeting noted that the two-and-a-half-year project will also include sidewalk construction for $3 million and drainage works for $4 million, bringing the total cost of the project to $98 million.

Sweeting stated that the yearly budget for New Providence road works is roughly $11 million.

"Bahamix usually paves around 25 miles of roads every year in New Providence. With this program, we should be able to double what we pave in New Providence alone," Sweeting said, referencing plans that have been formulated for 55 miles of arterial and community roads in New Providence to stabilize the current road network.

He reported that 23 miles of roads have already been paved in New Providence, including Chippingham Community Roads, Marcus Bethel Way, Frederick Street, Charlotte Street, Long Wharf, Blake Road, Zion Blvd, Lincoln Blvd, Portions of Windsor Field Road, East Street South, Woodland Way in Winton, Gibbs Lane, Intersection of Yamacraw & Foxhill Road, Community Roads of Cowpen.

In the first quarter of 2024, the Ministry of Works will focus on Tonique Williams-Darling Highway, Joe Farington Road, sections of Blue Hill Road, sections of East Bay Street, sections of West Bay Street, Dowdswell Street, and subjoining roads, Montrose Avenue, Mount Royal Avenue, Cowpen Road, Windsor Field Road, Eastern Road, Soldier Road,  East Street, Kemp Road as well as community and urban roads.

"We are going heavy starting the first quarter of 2024 and this will be an extensive program to last two and a half years," said Sweeting.

He further noted that road works are underway in Cat Island, Long Island, Eleuthera and Exuma.

The Traffic Division of the Royal Bahamas Police Force wish to advise the general public of the temporary road closures to facilitate the Junkanoo Summer Festival which will be held in Rawson Square, Nassau Bahamas.

The festival commences at 5:00 p.m. on Friday 28th July, 2023 and will be held each Friday for the next three (3) weeks, in Rawson Square. As a result, each Friday, Bay Street will be closed between Charlotte and East Streets to ALL vehicular traffic from 2:00 p.m. until the event concludes in the evening. #Additionally, Parliament Street south, between Shirley and Bay Streets, and Parliament Street north, between Bay Street and Woodes Rodgers Walk will be CLOSED to ALL vehicular traffic. #TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS #• Traffic traveling east on West Bay Street will be diverted north onto Navy Lion Road, and east onto Woodes Rogers Walk. #• Vehicles will NOT be allowed to travel north on East Street between Bay Street and Woodes Rogers Walk. Access to Woodes Rogers Walk will only be via Navy Lion Road or Charlotte Street. #• Traffic travelling north on East Street between Shirley Street and Bay Street will be diverted east on Bay Street. #• Local traffic in the affected areas will be diverted. #NO PARKING #Parking will NOT be permitted on the following roads between 1:00 a.m. until the end of the Festival each Friday. #• Bay Street between Charlotte Street and East Street - BOTH SIDES. #• Parliament Street between Woodes Rodgers Walk and Shirley Street. #• Woodes Rodgers Walk between Charlotte and East Street. #The Royal Bahamas Police Force apologises for any inconvenience caused as a result of these closures and diversions.

The festival commences at 5:00 p.m. on Friday 28th July, 2023 and will be held each Friday for the next three (3) weeks, in Rawson Square. As a result, each Friday, Bay Street will be closed between Charlotte and East Streets to ALL vehicular traffic from 2:00 p.m. until the event concludes in the evening.

Additionally, Parliament Street south, between Shirley and Bay Streets, and Parliament Street north, between Bay Street and Woodes Rodgers Walk will be CLOSED to ALL vehicular traffic.

TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS

• Traffic traveling east on West Bay Street will be diverted north onto Navy Lion Road, and east onto Woodes Rogers Walk.

• Vehicles will NOT be allowed to travel north on East Street between Bay Street and Woodes Rogers Walk. Access to Woodes Rogers Walk will only be via Navy Lion Road or Charlotte Street.

• Traffic travelling north on East Street between Shirley Street and Bay Street will be diverted east on Bay Street.

• Local traffic in the affected areas will be diverted.

NO PARKING

Parking will NOT be permitted on the following roads between 1:00 a.m. until the end of the Festival each Friday.

• Bay Street between Charlotte Street and East Street - BOTH SIDES.

• Parliament Street between Woodes Rodgers Walk and Shirley Street.

• Woodes Rodgers Walk between Charlotte and East Street.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force apologises for any inconvenience caused as a result of these closures and diversions.