As a result of hurricanes Irene, Sandy, Joaquin and Matthew, thousands of acres of the island's western coastal areas between Salt Pond and Gordons have been left destroyed by salt water incursion ......... As a result tons of seaweed, dead trees, abandoned boats, gas tanks, construction debris etc. have dried out and with the on-going four month drought is a tinder box ready to explode .......... That is the problem ....... The island needs a few D-8 tractors and at least 2 firetrucks to be on standby for this clear and present danger.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A GOVERNMENT FORSAKES ITS CITIZENS

Government should get at least one fire engine and one ambulance on the way to Long Island, just for starters. What a disgrace.

BTW .......... God heard our prayers and sent a good rain to wet the bush fire on Saturday ......... God is GOOD!!!!!!!!!!

By your logic, God the all powerful started the fire as well then. Why weren't you praising him then for sending the fire to turn the dead waste into fertilizer for the land??

Next time there is a hurricane coming I want to read your praises and thanking God for it!

GOOD for the rain!

God is not to be mocked ......... ask Perry if you do not believe me

I agree 100%. I have been trying to get a D 8 Tractor to clear land for me to build a retirement house on Long Island. Unfortunately, can you believe there is only one D 8 on the island? That tractor can pick, choose and refuse who they want to work for and select the price they charge.

There has been complete silence from the FNM since coming to power. You can't even see the MP. The Deadman's Cay airport is a one room house and can't handle international airlift as it can't meet international standards.

But the FNM will forget about Long Island, like the PLP did, and the previous FNM administration before them.

**TEN POINT PLAN FOR THE INCOMING MP ....... MR. ADRIAN GIBSON:**

1. Extend the central water system to (at least) Clarence Town and Salt Pond and upgrade the Simms R-O facility for Northend. No potable water = No future development.
2. Upgrade the present Deadman's Cay 4,000ft. airstrip with an additional 3000 feet of runway, a modern terminal facility and a new apron, and paid parking lot for locals and SDs.
3. Create new mailboat or ferry linkages with Exuma, San Salvador, and MICAL for agriculture, industry and cheaper international freight rates and complete the Clarence Town docking facility with a proper turning basin and complementary port facilities.
4. Improve the educational system with ONE central senior high school, three primary schools and a technical/special education school, with the requisite personnel & budget that matches the quality education that the island has become known to produce.
5. Improve and modernize customs, immigration, police, RTD and RBDF facilities and personnel and build ONE central government complex to house these essential services.
6. Encourage some of Long Island's 100 millionaires to invest in the local economy like Mr. Ellis Major is doing now. Solve the vexing Diamond Crystal Salt 22,000 acres lawsuit issue to encourage at least on major FDI in the South end of the island.
7. Create an effective local government system with a real mayor and an autonomous, apolitical municipality, capable of retaining at least 75% of non-VAT tax revenue generated on the island and capable of approving the necessary licencing permits to encourage orderly local development.
8. Create at least three public parks and/or public beach facilities for locals and tourists to enjoy and at least one fish fry area in South and North to encourage social gatherings and entrepreneurship.
9. Re-open the Long Island Library and Museum and expand the Long Island Cultural Site and Farmers' Market for local and touristic use and invest in the natural, historical and cultural heritage for education and and recreational purposes.
10. Create at least ONE BNT-managed land and sea park for the preservation of the fish stocks and bird life that is threatened by overfishing and poaching, and to complement the growing bonefish lodge industry.

**LONG ISLAND CAN BECOME GREAT AGAIN WITH THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE TEN POINTS.**

Great points Sheeprunner12. But nothing will happen. Have you heard? The government is broke both financially and intellectually? The are just rehashing the same old PLP idea and then do nothing.

If you are a REAL Long Islander, you should be more positive about our prospects going forward ......... Lobby the new MP to implement the Ten Point Plan ....... Come out to local and Diaspora events and be pro-active

I don't know many specifics about Long Island but those are some great points you are raising. I hope Mr. Gibson can get to at least a few of them each year.

The Long Island MP will be speaking in Parliament for the first time on Monday ......... You can tune in and see how much he is aware of what is about to take place in Long Island in the upcoming year(s) under the FNM ............ Then we can all make our comments on his speech

What ever happened to the brand new landing craft purchased at great expense for the RBDF during Operation Sandy Bottom for this express purpose????