EDITORIAL: Stick to the law on shanty towns

IT IS sad to see the debate over shanty towns descend to the level of scaremongering.

And yet, that is where we are at, it would seem. In response to the United Nations raising concerns about the government’s planned demolition of houses in The Farm shanty town in Abaco, Works Minister Desmond Bannister has asked if we want to live in a country like Haiti with “dirt, garbage, shanty towns all over the place”.

Aside from the casual demonising of an entire country that Mr Bannister engaged in with that comment, what he might focus on is the importance of the rule of law.

The UN raised human rights concerns, saying that the planned forced evictions constituted a “serious violation of the human right to adequate housing and would result in arbitrary internal displacement”.

What did the UN officials ask the Bahamian government to do? Well, simply to “follow due legal process and respect existing judicial orders. This includes not only waiting for the outcome of the Supreme Court full review of the government’s policy to demolish informal settlements, but also to ensure full adherence to international human rights standards governing relocations, evictions, and internal displacement”.

Is that so hard? Follow the law? Respect the agreements we have signed up to? After all, we even hold the vice presidency right now of the Human Rights Council – this isn’t just something we signed up to, we are meant to be leading the way.

Mr Bannister talks about the risk of “the consequences of me not doing my job” including that “we could have a spread of E.Coli in Abaco. Water could be contaminated and people could be sick”.

Well, what does he think is going to happen if hundreds of people are made homeless and end up living in whatever conditions they find? That’s not going to be good for public health either, especially in a pandemic.

Mr Bannister, and Elsworth Johnson who has also been in the news this week criticising the UN, continue to miss one very particular point.

If you knock down these houses, these people won’t just disappear into thin air. So where will they go? What is the plan to relocate them? Mr Johnson claimed that many of them wanted to return to Haiti – fine, where is the plane arranged to carry them?

Mr Bannister is absolutely right that we don’t want people living in filthy conditions and with poor sewerage or water supplies. So where are our housing programmes to build affordable accommodation? And let’s not be up in arms saying why are we building properties for illegal migrants – let’s remember that surveys by this very FNM government have shown the majority of residents of shanty towns have legal status to be here, whether through being born in the country or having work or spousal permits. This is about Bahamians as well as migrants.

Where will people go? It’s a question that seems to be being ignored – and without an answer to it, then the likely answer is that another shanty town will pop up a month or two from now, and we’ll be back to the start.

If we really want to look across at Haiti, one of the problems it’s facing right now is the political chaos engulfing the country. Following the rule of law is how we avoid that. Should people be living in illegally built properties? Absolutely not – and the court ruling will decide on that. Let’s hear what the court has to say.

But what are we doing to encourage people not to build these shanty towns in the first place? Come up with a whole plan, not just bring out the bulldozers and then walk away afterwards. Tell us where these people will go, and then we might believe you when you say you want to get rid of shanty towns for good, rather than just for a while.

Get the jab

Another 33,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine landed yesterday, and this week has seen Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis get his second shot and Opposition leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis planning to get his. They will be among the first in the country to be fully vaccinated.

And yet, now it appears we are facing a problem of more supplies than there is demand. This is literally the key to unlocking our country’s future, and yet people aren’t lining up to get their shots.

Part of the problem perhaps is the circulation of scare stories and fake news on social media about vaccines. Well, Dr Duane Sands has a suggestion for that – a full-on push to encourage immunisation. Infomercials, town hall events, publicity everywhere.

It won’t be long until the leaders of this country will be asking you for your vote, to put your faith in them to lead the country.

Well, the two likeliest contenders to lead the next government both have their second jabs – they’re leading the way. Won’t you follow?

Across the country, politicians, medical experts, economic experts, businesses, community leaders, voluntary organisations… all of these are leading the way and encouraging vaccination. Do you rely want to trust that message being shared on Facebook instead of all of those? Go on. Get the jab. Let’s put this behind us.

Comments

birdiestrachan says...

Legal status to be in the Bahamas.

Does anyone believe that the illegals in those shantytowns held up their hands and said?
"see me here I am here illegally"

It is not known how many illegals are there,. they will not show their faces.

It is time for the Bahamas to move beyond outdoor toilets and pumps.. their employers should provide housing, They can also find places to rent if they wanted to.

It can not be all right for some to break the law. while others must obey the laws.

Posted 12 May 2021, 7:10 p.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

You're conveniently forgetting that several PLP administrations did absolutely nothing about this problem.

Posted 13 May 2021, 10:40 a.m. Suggest removal

birdiestrachan says...

The ones who are Bahamians or are here legally. There is nothing to stop them from
buying land and having a plan drawn and passed and they can build their homes up to standard.

It is time for the excuses to end.. Also the "Poor, Poor me"

Their employer should be paying them the required salaries. .

Posted 12 May 2021, 7:20 p.m. Suggest removal

WETHEPEOPLE says...

Agreed

Posted 12 May 2021, 7:22 p.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

Except The Tribune's editorial staff conveniently choose to ignore the extent of the profiteering corruption that has been going on for decades in certain government departments and agencies whereby many of the Haitian nationals who entered our country illegally have managed to 'buy under the table', often with the assistance of their employers, 'official' legal documents and other papers that allow them to reside in our country, some indefinitely. The corruption here involving very senior civil servants needs to be once and for all rooted-out.

Posted 13 May 2021, 10:55 a.m. Suggest removal

bogart says...

All dese goings on happening with clear documented persons Haitian nationals on Work Permits, or not on Work Permits or other, being affected in the clear illegal mass constructions and demolitions --- needed to have FIRST follow the protocols of the Haitians Ambassador or Haitian Govr Representatives, their complaints ...addressed to the responsible Bahamian Govt Officials...even though all law abiding Bahamians done know the illegal shantytowns done illegal.

Bahamian Govt would then be then have opportunity to engage in the matters.
NOW that these complainers have brought in officials in the UN to issue statements on behalf of these Haition Work Permit holders, or one Haitian affected, and/or Haitions of varying status and connected relations as group affected...must have the Haitian Ambassador be summonsed to give explanation to the Bahamas Govt and hopefully diffuse this long time going on tensions before it gets worse.

Does anyone recall the Haitian Ambassador or representatives even getting involved and discussions on matter wid the Bahamas, their democratically legal Bahamian govt., the senior Bahamian Ministers, Bahamian public.... before the matter got to the UN ?

Posted 12 May 2021, 8:33 p.m. Suggest removal

DDK says...

Why do The Tribune and The U.N. think we should be responsible for the people of another country? Bahamas Government had no business letting this situation get to this point. The problem staring us all in the face is that these shanty towns and these illegals or not illegals are here because of the greed and corruption throughout The Bahamas' governmental system for many decades. The fact is there are FAR TOO MANY "needy"' or supposedly "needy" folk from Haiti in our Country who should not be looking towards the Bahamas as their salvation to the detriment of our people. This is what has happened and needs to be stopped once and for all.

Posted 13 May 2021, 11:49 a.m. Suggest removal

thomas says...

Follow the law by first owning deeds to the land you have a permit to build on.

Posted 13 May 2021, 11:57 a.m. Suggest removal

jus2cents says...

It is just plain evil to destroy the shanty towns the way the Bahamian government has been doing.
The Bahamas Government doesn't show the real loss and sadness these poor families go through because they are embarrassed about how it looks, and their cruelty will be shared to the rest of the world.
Hang your heads you evil people who treat Haitians like second class humans.

You know better, behave humanely and Do Better.

There for the grace of God.

Posted 13 May 2021, 12:52 p.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

Save it for church on Sunday. Most of us know only too well that the Good Lord can only help those who try to help themselves. And it's well past time for Bahamians to start standing up in an effort to try help themselves while they still have a country that doesn't look like the worst parts of Haiti.

Posted 13 May 2021, 9:36 p.m. Suggest removal

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