Demolition crew brought in to set urban renewal 2.0 rolling

By PAUL G TURNQUEST

Chief Reporter

pturnquest@tribunemedia.net

TWO wooden structures were demolished on Rolle Avenue yesterday, signaling the physical start of Urban Renewal 2.0 in Prime Minister Perry Christie's Centreville constituency.

Witnessing the demolition for himself, along with his deputy PM Philip "Brave" Davis, and five of his cabinet ministers, Mr Christie thanked the Urban Renewal team being headed by Superintendent Stephen Dean for making the occasion a very symbolic occasion for him.

"I represented this area when I started in 1977. In 1977 over 680 votes came from this area. Now it's just probably over 300 and that is because the area continues to deteriorate. People move out, houses become dilapidated and even though the government puts infrastructure here - roads, a school next door - you find that the whole process is people moving away from infrastructure and us having to build again," Mr Christie said.

Highlighting a childhood friend and neighbour, Elgin Rahming, who lives near the home that was being destroyed, Mr Christie said that someone like Mr Rahming becomes the eyes and ears for the police in the community.

"Urban Renewal to me means that we are going to take these houses here, we are going to demolish them. The experience of the outside toilets that was here is going to be no more.

"A new home will come here and new people will come into this home and those children will be able to go to the school next door and be able to become a part of a live neighbourhood.

"And the whole renewing of the neighbourhood is important. And so people like Mr Rahming who have made the sacrifice and the commitment will be here and are going to continue to do that very, very effectively. And what happens then is this, he (Mr Rahming) is a leader in this community. He becomes a part of the Urban Renewal programme. He becomes the eyes and ears for law and order so the police officers who are leading this programme will meet with him and talk with him and he will become a part of whatever is happening here so they can have their reach into Rolle Avenue through the citizens of Rolle Avenue."

Mr Christie said that the FNM constantly criticized his Urban Renewal design, claiming that police officers were not supposed to be "social workers" delivering food and services to people.

Looking to Superintendent Dean, Mr Christie said that senior officers of his rank now can effectively move into these communities and stop persons from being able to hide firearms in abandoned buildings and explain to the community why it should be empowering and protecting itself.

Comments

Ironvelvet says...

I applaud Urban Renewal. However, I agree with the FNM in that police officers are not supposed to "pass out food and services" that is the job of social workers. We're talking about creating jobs, man that quite a few right there to put your urban renewal into play.

I defintely applaud Urban Renewal because abandoned buildings are places of crime and they make for ugly neighborhoods. Neighborhoods that we as residents can't be proud of and do better for if they are there.

I will say this, we as Bahamians need to take more pride in our surroundings and report these places of abandon, paint our homes and do the lawn.

Posted 6 June 2012, 3:08 p.m. Suggest removal

Oracle says...

I represented this area when I started in 1977. In 1977 over 680 votes came from this area. Now it's just probably over 300 and that is because the area continues to deteriorate....Urban Renewal to me means that we are going to take these houses here, we are going to demolish them. The experience of the outside toilets that was here is going to be no more..." Are Bahamians taxpayers now responsible for cleaning up Farm Road after 35years?

Posted 7 June 2012, 2:20 p.m. Suggest removal

bookiedread says...

It is still mind boggling to me that we need Police Officers in Urban Renewal. We have all this crime carrying on in the country and Mr. Christie's answer is to take them from active policing to watch homes being demolished. Put the officers where they belong, on the streets of our country to police its people. Urban Renewal should be about Social Service, Environmental Health, and the Public Health Authority not police officers. This government should review this. But wait, we could take some officers from around these politicians and their homes to police this country. How about a minister of state with a chauffeur and bodyguard. Oh and he too has a police weapon and a police car. Put him out there.

Posted 7 June 2012, 2:42 p.m. Suggest removal

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