The government is being accused of delivering “empty promises” because it has failed to allow some 40 residents of the Sunset Subdivision in Grand Bahama to occupy their new homes.
Member of Parliament for the High Rock constituency, Kenneth Russell, claimed that while Housing Minister Neville Wisdom issued keys to homes in an elaborate ceremony earlier this week, residents were led to believe that these homes could be immediately occupied.
“Instead of a jubilant moving day, frustrated homeowners filed down to the Ministry of Housing’s office in Freeport the following day, where they were told that they would not be able to move into their homes until they signed their respective conveyances – conveyances that had not yet been completed and sent [to Grand Bahama] from New Providence,” Mr Russell claimed.
Up to press time on Wednesday, attempts to reach Minister Wisdom to verify the claims of the High Rock MP proved fruitless.
Mr Russell said prospective homeowners were reportedly not given a definitive date as to when the conveyances would be ready, or when they would be able to occupy their new homes. He further alleged that since the conveyances were not signed, the homeowners were not given letters from the Ministry of Housing to apply for utilities.
But that’s not all.
According to Mr Russell, a walk through the subdivision on Tuesday night revealed that none of the houses earmarked for move-in were connected to electricity. The High Rock MP said at least one confused and irate homeowner complained that upon gaining access to her new home, she found it not ready for occupancy and the electrical wiring and other infrastructural work were incomplete.
“What’s more, Bahamas Mortgage Corporation officials were in meetings with housing officials in Freeport yesterday to reportedly discuss the matter of a number of the would-be homeowners whose mortgages were not yet completed,” Mr Russell claimed. He added that guard cones blocked vehicular access through the subdivision yesterday, and instead of the happy sounds of satisfied homeowners and their children filling the area, there were intrusive sounds of heavy construction equipment paving roads and carrying out work at the site.
“Sadly, this is but the latest sham perpetrated against homeowners on Grand Bahama who, having endured the island’s economic hardships and persevered to buying their new home, have been dealt yet another round of false hope by the government,” Mr Russell stated.
By: TAMARA McKENZIE, The Nassau Guardian
