Questions to the former and present governments

EDITOR, The Tribune.

As a resident of the Town of Marsh Harbour and cognisant of the fact that tourism is, and is likely to remain for the foreseeable future, the major source of income for Bahamians (approximately seventy cents out of every dollar), I direct the following questions and comments to the former (FNM) and present (PLP) Governments:-

  1. Why is the busiest stretch of road which goes from the airport to and through the Town of Marsh Harbour to the ferry docks is also one of the worst roads on Abaco?

I believe it is correct to say that more than 50 per cent of all of the tourists who visit Abaco have to travel on this unsightly and pot holed stretch of road (mostly by taxi) in order to get to their destinations either in the Town of Marsh Harbour or in the Cays (Guana Cay, Man-O-War Cay, Scotland Cay and Elbow Cay).
Yet this stretch of road and, indeed, all of the roads in Marsh Harbour, Dundas Town and Murphy Town were last resurfaced (sand seal only) almost 20 years ago.

As a result of the heavy rainfall which Abaco experiences and the fact that during the last 20 years there have been three major hurricanes, it is not surprising that these roads are in such a deplorable condition.

  1. Given the poor condition of the roads in Marsh Harbour, Dundas Town and Murphy Town, why did the former government spend thousands of dollars paving a stretch of road that goes from the Earnest Dean Highway (also now riddled with pot holes) to the newly constructed Control Tower at the Marsh Harbour airport with expensive hot mix when it is unlikely that more than ten vehicles per day will ever use this road (if and when the Control Tower becomes operational)?

  2. Why did the former government deem it appropriate to have the roads in Cooper’s Town surfaced with expensive hot mix but deemed it unnecessary to even resurface the bad roads throughout Marsh Harbour, Dundas Town and Murphy Town with sand seal?

I am delighted that, in addition to the new roads, the former government also had proper sidewalks built in Cooper’s Town but question why the residents of Marsh Harbour had to pay for the construction of the sidewalks that now exist (used by Bahamians and tourists alike) by having to raise the money themselves?

  1. Why did the former government contract to have a road constructed with expensive hot mix (recently completed) from the Marsh Harbour airport to the Sherlin Bootle Highway which by passes the Town of Marsh Harbour and is unlikely, for the foreseeable future, to have one tenth of the volume of traffic as the said road which goes from the airport through the Town of Marsh Harbour to the ferry docks?

  2. Why have there been virtually no infrastructural improvements in the Town of Marsh Harbour for the past 10 years and, in particular, the five years during which the former government (which did enjoy the support of the majority of Bahamians in Marsh Harbour) was last in power, notwithstanding that Marsh Harbour is a major centre of commerce and producer of revenue for the country?

  3. Why is the present government allowing such a shoddy job to be done for the few small sections of the roads in Marsh Harbour (including the road that goes from the airport to the ferry dock) that are now being repaved?

One section of the road in the Town of Marsh Harbour was recently so poorly resurfaced that after the first heavy rainfall it had to be resurfaced again and now after further rainfall it will have to be redone yet again!

  1. When will the new airport terminal be opened by the present government?


FRED GOTTLIEB
Marsh Harbour,
Abaco
May 22, 2013.

Comments

john33xyz says...

Mr. Gottlieb,

Thank you for your considered remarks. Your points are spot on.

The answer to ALL questions is simple:

...because Abaco people have NEVER stood together and apparently never will. Abaco is divided into different "families" - such as Sawyers, Pinder, Roberts, Albury, Sweeting, etc. Some of these families associate with other and others not with others in a complex mix. None of them accept all the others at "true Abaconians."

They would rather import (whatever) from (for example) Jamaica, rather than buy it from their "brothers" who make/obtain/grow/whatever it right here on the island - because that "brother" has a certain last name to which they do not associate.

The solution to our road problem is simple:

ALL taxis, and all hotel operators come together and choose a day (not too distant - like 3 days from now) to strike for 2 days.

Tourists arriving at the airport will have no way to get to their hotels, and even if they walk there will find all rooms locked up and nobody there to serve them.

They will have to pay for changed tickets and return to their country.

Do this once per month, on different dates each month and only choose the day 3 days in advance so that word does not get out in time for people to make other arrangements.

Tourism revenue will be lost - our reputation as Abaco will go down - and government will fear for loss of future revenue (ie. because word among travel agents will tell visitors not to come here because they might be left out in the cold).

Once government sees that we are serious - then they will get serious.

As long as we are NOT, then they have carte blanche to ignore us, and leave us standing on the side of the pot-hole road like the uncoordinated idiots that we are (collectively).

United we stand, divided we fall - is not just a cool sounding phrase in a history book. It actually means something - and for us it means we are falling.

Posted 11 June 2013, 12:48 a.m. Suggest removal

GQ says...

John33xyz:
What Mr. Gottlieb stated is right on cue. By your comments I can determine that you are an outsider to Abaco and do not want to deal with the issues but try to put the blame on the families of which I am proud to be who have made Abaco what it is today.
Your intelligence is questioned when you advocate that that we treat our guests, the lifeblood
of our island in such a rude manner. There is no reason why these people should be inconvenienced because our government past and present did not care about us.
My belief is that the former Prime Minister does not like the white community of Marsh Harbour and the current one has stated that Abaco has had more than their share.
You refer to idiots and I am certain that you refer to youself and not the industrious Abaconian whether black, red or white.

Posted 11 June 2013, 9:32 a.m. Suggest removal

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