Foulkes sees urgency to solve shanty town crisis

Monday, March 19, 2018

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

ABACO residents yesterday suggested the island was “on the edge” of “serious tragedy” in coming months due to the government’s “inaction and mismanagement” of the ongoing shanty town crisis.

Labour Minister Senator Dion Foulkes led the government-appointed shanty town committee on tours of several of the major shanty towns on the island, where officials estimate some 10,000 migrants illegally reside.

Mr Foulkes, the committee’s chairman, was visibly shocked by much of what he saw during his treks through the Farm Lands, Sand Banks, the Mud and Pigeon Peas shanty towns, telling The Tribune the government is treating the matter with a sense of “urgency”.

At the Marsh Harbour government complex following Sunday’s tour, Mr Foulkes insisted all of the areas seen were a “major catastrophe waiting to happen”.

“People could actually die,” he said.

“In some of these communities there aren’t one single home built to code, so the question is how we can go about addressing this matter in a way that is humane and considerate to the persons living in here?” he added.

Referring to makeshift power generating systems scattered around the muddled communities, Mr Foulkes said: “Just on this visit today, I saw three major generators that had 20 to 50 different lines connected to that generator.”

Law enforcement officers who aided Mr Foulkes on his tour claimed similar systems could be blamed for as many as four major fires in the past.

To that end Mr Foulkes said: “We can’t have these communities operating like this. We saw wires running along the ground. I am talking about exposed wires that can be affected by rain and floods. If that isn’t bad enough, we have exposed extension cords being wired irresponsibly to huge generators which are running in close proximity to big drums of fuel.”

During a stop in the Mud, a man believed to be the operator of a similar setup that exploded into flames and destroyed several homes in the past were questioned by police.

Over the course of that exchange, the operator denied he was still in the business of producing power, but admitted the business was too lucrative for people to stay away.

“It’s a money maker. You supply the fuel and generator, you can have everybody running to hook up in no time,” he told one of the government officials touring with Mr Foulkes.

“Small business could grow big very fast. I charged $25 per week. Other people will ask for more and get it because people want and need light,” he said.

His claim became even more evident the further the group pushed into the Mud and then on to the Pigeon Peas – The Tribune counted three small single stove eateries, three clothing stores, four small liquor stores, four mobile phone top-up stalls, four barbers and six convenience stores.

All either running on small generators just outside the establishment or illegal connections feed through windows or walls.

This challenge, according to Marsh Harbour Township Chairman Roscoe Thompson, has created an entire subculture that stifles a large portion of Abaco’s economy.

“You have all of these people through whatever means, legal or illegal, earning money that they never put back into the economy. Thousands of people either shipping money out of the country or basically burying it in their isolated community. But, they use the schools; the clinics; when the fires happen, we have to find our way in to assist,” he said.

“This isn’t a system that can work long-term,” he added.

When asked by The Tribune for a timeline of the government’s efforts in Abaco yesterday, Mr Foulkes said the Minnis administration doesn’t intend to “storm in.”

Rather, according to Mr Foulkes, the government intends to move with a level of “calm and decency”.

He said: “In the majority of these towns, the majority of persons living in them are children. Out concern in how do we get in there at a time when school is done and with enough warning to these persons. Our goal isn’t to storm in there and level everything. As I said before, we are a Christian nation and our action will, no matter what, reflect that.”

Mr Foulkes added: “Away from the kids, some of these persons have spousal and work permits and they are permitted to be here. We want to give them time to find homes and locations away from these communities.”

He continued: “Then you have the issue of illegals. That is an immigration matter, and we are working closely with persons out of immigration to ensure that they are on hand to manage and assess persons that fall out of the category of legal.”

“I am working very closely with the defence force, police and immigration; so this is a very coordinated effort already.

“I have about 12 ministries and departments represented on this committee, we are going to do it humanely and respectfully.”

Earlier this month, Works Minister Desmond Bannister said the government was working to fully “eradicate” shanty towns, focusing on clean up and removal as opposed to regulating these areas.

However, Mr Foulkes clarified those claims to highlight the government’s intention to be more understanding.

He said: “I think that is what Minister Bannister meant when he said we are going to eradicate them, he was referring to are those structures that aren’t up to code. He used a different term than I am using, he used removal and eradicate; I’m saying removal and end unregulated structures.”

The Abaco Shantytown Action Task Force, chaired by Administrator Maxine Duncombe, was established to directly manage all efforts on the island.

Comments

whybahamas says...

Why is it that illegals continue to build whatever and wherever they want, but as soon as a Bahamian digs a hole in the ground or puts up a fence, government officials are swarming like flies to stop you?

Posted 19 March 2018, 12:17 p.m. Suggest removal

joeblow says...

If only we could get them to deal with Bahamians who owe property taxes and VAT "humanely and respectfully".

Posted 19 March 2018, 1:56 p.m. Suggest removal

jujutreeclub says...

They playing man. The generators are illegal, the three small single stove eateries, three clothing stores, four small liquor stores, four mobile phone top-up stalls, four barbers and six convenience stores, all are illegal, so why didn't the minister call BPL to disconnect the generators, call a trailer head in to remove them, shut down the illegal stores and arrest and charge the man who admitted he was supplying electricity to the shanty towns and had the nerve to say it was such a lucrative business. This government need to get serious and do something quickly. Then to talk about not the Minnis administration doesn’t intend to “storm in,
rather the government intends to move with a level of “calm and decency”.. Let that would have been a bahamian doing this, they would have been lost in Fox Hill prison for life.

Wake up Bahamas.

Posted 19 March 2018, 12:29 p.m. Suggest removal

DDK says...

Playing is right. They have been playing for decades. Almost all of the government agencies are involved in ignoring this issue and are responsible for its continued growth. Where, may I ask are the two Abaco elected MP's in this matter? They both have huge shanty towns in their constituencies. Afraid of losing voters, I expect. According to Minister Foulkes, if this matter is not tackled now, they may lose some of their voters tragically. But wait, the PM did say that his would be the administration that deals with this out of control problem. So we have no worries......

Posted 19 March 2018, 1:51 p.m. Suggest removal

observer2 says...

The shanty towns exist because they are providing low cost labor to the business community, foreign residence and gated communities that are populated by millionaires and the elites.

Government is complicit by the issuance of work permits to persons that actually reside in shanty towns. Government also subsidizes the special interest by providing free education and health care to the unfortunate and exploited working class.

It’s a simple fix but no politician will touch it due to the special interests that control the politician.

Stop issuing work permits unless an individual has a proper and inspected place to live. Ahhh, there is the conflict. How much revenue does the government and intermediaries make off of work permits?

It’s always hard to solve a problem you really don’t want want to solve.

Posted 19 March 2018, 12:49 p.m. Suggest removal

That too!!!!

Posted 19 March 2018, 1:53 p.m. Suggest removal

Gotoutintime says...

So very right!!

Posted 20 March 2018, 3:56 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Ma Comrades, we had wait from 2012 to May 10, 2017 to see how God punishes those who voted the not loyal opposition back into power - all to scarp from bottom potential ministerial barrel to have appoint "Hot Air" Dion back as a member Imperial red cabinet. No damn wonder nation is Shantytowns Fu#Ked when the chief architects are back in charge promising once again solve nation's most pressing nasty issue.

Posted 19 March 2018, 12:56 p.m. Suggest removal

Exactly how many laws have these criminals broken that the government seems to be conveniently overlooking? It really is better in the Bahamas--- for some!

Posted 19 March 2018, 2:04 p.m. Suggest removal

Sickened says...

Now that the gubment knows of these illegal generation plants, and the fire risks, the Haitians can now sue the gubment when the next fire breaks out for not taking IMMEDIATE steps to rectify it! SHUT THAT DOWN NOW before someone dies.
Have BEC remove the generators TODAY and then go door to door and see who would like to have power hooked up. Take their deposits and charge them for the meters etc. just like the rest of us have to do when we build a house. If only one in 5 'houses' want to sign up and allow their neighbor to run drop cord on their bill and try to make money, then that's on them.

Posted 19 March 2018, 2:06 p.m. Suggest removal

Or just move the generators as Step One.

Posted 19 March 2018, 2:24 p.m. Suggest removal

Tal, what do you think about legalizing the Shanty Towns in the same manner that we dealt with the Web Shops which created a massive industry.

They would be called Shanty Free Trade Economic Empowerment Zone.

Nothing much would be changed but it would essentially legalize the non payment of VAT, no business license fees, the ability to generate and sell electricity, water and internet.

With the revenue the Shanty merchants generate they would be required to reinvest thier massive profits in rental units built to code.

It would be a big win for the FNM like the webshops were for the PLP!

Posted 19 March 2018, 2:17 p.m. Suggest removal

Don't encourage Comrade and the Governemnt lol!

Posted 19 March 2018, 2:23 p.m. Suggest removal

DKK, why should the poor pay taxes. obviously the rich foreigners are not paying them either. Isn’t that why we were blacklisted by the EU?

Seems like only the middle class Bahamians are paying!

Posted 19 March 2018, 2:36 p.m. Suggest removal

bogart says...

The logistics of rehousing 10,000 shanty town migrants is not as simple without severe disruption to Abaco and even the rest of the nation.
One of the main purposes in terms of illegal housing need to find lawful housing units with water, legally built toilets and proper electricity.
Children who never attended schools need schools to attend. The aged, infirm ill physical and mentally challenged from the shanties need housing.
Can the present food merchants increase inventory to cater to increase legal housed population and the buyers pay increased prices now including licence fees and overhead? New increase in legal electricity demand, can they all afford it?
Where will previous low cost renters be able to afford rent for legally built housing units likely to rapidly increase in rent also disturbing current legal bona fide Bahamian rentors.
Guarranteed that some of the 10,000 illegal shanty town dwellers will seek to find other hidden areas to start anew. Perhaps some might even take to the seas.
While the need to eliminate the shanties is critical for the residents it should be even moreso in terms of enforcing Bahamian rules and regulations and national security. The Bahamian Prime Minister of the sovereign nation ,The Commonwealth of the Bahamas has already given the deadline, now past.
The authorities need a well coordinated plan and at this stage need to ask the Haitian govt to send the planes or boats to assist to repatriate their citizens ......

Posted 19 March 2018, 7:38 p.m. Suggest removal