By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net 

PUBLIC Works Minister Desmond Bannister has defended a sting operation at The Farm shanty town in Abaco last week, insisting residents had broken the law.

He said they were able to do so with the help of complicit Bahamians, who will face prosecution if identified.

Mr Bannister said there are Bahamians who benefitted financially by unlawfully providing services to unregulated communities by facilitating breaches of the law.

An example of this is the nightly provision of heavy equipment to construct roads, thereby enabling the construction of even more unregulated structures, in addition to unregulated shops and the sale of stolen goods, the minister told parliamentarians.

In the House of Assembly yesterday, the Deputy Prime Minister said officials had been faced with constant challenges emanating from the actions of residents living in the The Farm shanty town.

He noted unsanitary and unhealthy conditions like the possible pollution of the water table with human faeces and other items.

Further, the minister pointed to the proliferation of commercial grade generators and the sale of electricity. He said people in the community have been stealing electrical wires from Bahamas Power and Light and haphazardly strung them up to provide electricity to shanty houses.

Mr Bannister said this electrical wiring was not done out of human kindness but for the gain of persons profiting from the misery of their fellow human beings who are charged a weekly fee for this service.

 “Hurricane Dorian hit us in September 2019, and the government responded to the devastation that was caused by completely clearing away all of the ruined buildings on the Mud, The Pea and Sandbanks; the government also fenced these areas in at considerable cost to the Bahamian taxpayer,” Mr Bannister told Parliament.

“However, many of the residents sought out other locations on that island and constructed even more unregulated buildings. Those activities were in breach of the court order.

“… We are a country of laws. We must all respect the law and act in accordance therewith, including our health, immigration laws and the Building Code. I repeat that much of what has occurred has happened with the complicity of many Bahamians. Where those persons are identified, appropriate action will be taken.”

He was referring to a Supreme Court order that affected both the government and shanty town squatters.

On December 17, 2018, the Supreme Court issued an order that varied a previous injunction: “Further, pending the determination of this action or until such further order, the 177 applicants and other residents and occupiers of the land in shanty towns in New Providence or elsewhere in The Bahamas shall take no action to construct, erect and or alter any further buildings or structures otherwise than in accordance with the Buildings Regulation Act.”

Regarding The Farm shanty town, Mr Bannister said people continued to build despite the standing court order.

“Shortly after the passing of Hurricane Dorian, the government caused drone footage to be taken of The Farm community,” he said. “The footage revealed that 30 of the shacks had survived Hurricane Dorian. It is clear that the injunction prevented the government from demolishing those buildings; however, in defiance of the court order that prohibited them from constructing more buildings, persons continued to build more and more unregulated and unsafe structures.

“It is clear that these structures that were altered or erected after August 2018 without valid building permits blatantly disrespected and breached the court order and also contravened the provisions of the Buildings Regulation Act and the Planning and Subdivision Act.

“I must emphasise that that legislation that I’ve mentioned was put in place to protect all of us. The horrible devastation in The Mud from Hurricane Dorian clearly shows how persons can be injured and killed when structures are not built in accordance with the law.”

Due to the challenges, Mr Bannister said Cabinet authorised him to coordinate the actions that were required to ensure the unlawful practices ceased.

As a result a multi-agency operation was planned for The Farm on Thursday March, 8.

Beginning at 4.30am, all of the illegally created access roads except one, were blocked with large boulders. This remaining road is not a public road but has remained to allow authorities and residents access.

Officials also posted large signs in both English and Creole warning that structures not built according to code will be demolished. The signs further warned that erecting structures contrary to provisions of the Planning and Subdivision Act will be subject to prosecution and will also be demolished.

Notices were also placed on all the structures that were erected subsequent to the passage of Hurricane Dorian.

There are two types of notices: first for incomplete and unoccupied structures, and another advising that they will be demolished after 14 days in accordance with the provisions of the Planning and Subdivisions Act.

For occupied structures, the notices advise demolition after the passage of 28 days in accordance with the Building Regulations Act.

Next, with the assistance of BPL and a private electrical contractor, nine commercial generators were confiscated.

“These are not ordinary generators,” Mr Bannister said. “These are commercial generators. They’re large generators. Several were being operated for commercial purposes and in contravention of the Electricity Act, with a capacity to provide electrical power to close to 200 structures.

“The police also confiscated a number of generators that were believed to have been stolen.

“A number of illegal bars were closed and so you will hear people speaking about items that were taken and suspected uncustomed goods (goods for which customs duty was not paid) were taken into the protective custody of (Department of) Customs and police officials.

“Additionally, a number of persons were arrested for possession of a firearm; possession of dangerous drugs; possession of uncustomed goods; and for violations of the Immigration laws of The Bahamas,” Mr Bannister said.