By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday denied that the acquisition of more than 400 acres of land for the people of Moore’s Island was a “political move”, despite the tabling the resolution weeks before the general election.

In the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Christie acknowledged that he promised more than a decade ago to bring relief to homeowners in Moore’s Island, a small cay in the Abacos, but said it “took time” and “years of conversation and consultation”.

He also said the comprehensive infrastructure upgrades that will cost around $5m will transform the quaint and tranquil fishing community, replacing 30-year-old infrastructure and preparing it for the 21st century.

Mr Christie’s comments were in response to member of Parliament for Montagu Richard Lightbourn, who accused the government of rushing the resolution to gain votes “right before” the impending general election.

“We spent years talking to the residents and gathering information,” Prime Minister Christie said. “We had to have surveyors go in and we worked on this for two years. Based on our preliminary investigation in 2015, a notice of investigation was published in respect to 807 acres of land.

“The Lands and Surveys Department went and they did an investigation and initially they advised me to move and acquire the 807 acres of land but a subsequent survey was conducted and based on the findings of the survey a declaration of intended acquisition and notice of possession was published for 464.408 acres.

“Meaning all we had to do, we did, and we are here now because we own the land ... So this is not a political giveaway of funds or land. The funding for the roads and water mains and harbour and for the dock, the airport runway and terminal building, all makes a strong foundation to boost the economy of the island.

“So it is my pleasure for and on behalf of the government to indicate that we are very, very pleased. Generations of Moore’s Islanders will see the modernisation of Moore’s Island, taking it into the 21st century.”

Housing and Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett also defended the government’s timing, saying: “It is never too late to do the right thing.”

“This resolution is long overdue. I recall standing on Clifford Park during the 2002 general election when the Prime Minister, in his speech to the people, spoke specifically to Moore Island and the need to address matters associated with the island community,” Mr Dorsett said.

“But now we have passed a resolution and scores and scores of people who have built homes on land that does not belong to them, they can finally get their conveyances and can finally get marketable title and build with dignity and with the assurance that they own the land.

“It may have taken a long time but like my mother said ‘it’s never too late to do the right thing’ and so whether it is on the cusp of an election, it took a long time for the surveying to take place on this island and to get to this point but I want the people to know and rest assured that their conveyances petitioning the land has already begun and so once the land is vested, the Ministry of Housing will move to ensure that titles to the respective plots are regularised.”

However, Mr Lightbourn said the government should not be patting themselves on the back for doing something “that was promised since 2002”.

“Because it is happening at this time it raises issues,” he said.

“The promise was made in 2002 and here we are 2017 and the government wants to feel proud that they are fulfilling a promise, I don’t know which promise it was, the one they made in 2002, the one they made in 2007 or the one they made in 2012 but it is really an abuse of the process to have this kind of thing happening weeks before an election.

“There are so many other areas that need to be addressed and the members opposite seem proud to point out that this community is a big supporter of the PLP. So what message does that send to the rest of the Bahamas?”

During Mr Lightbourn’s speech, several government members noted that the Christie administration was not in office during the 2007-2012 term.