By LETRE SWEETING

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

WORKS and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears has committed to meeting Village Road business owners next month to discuss an economic stimulus plan after confirming the road repair will be delayed until the first week of January.

His comments came a week after some 16 Village Road business owners signed a petition addressed to him and his ministry requesting an urgent meeting and consideration of an economic stimulus proposal following a calculated 30 percent decrease in business due to ongoing road works.

Mr Sears said on Friday: “I’ve sent that letter to Minister (of Economic Affairs Michael) Halkitis and I will be liaising with the Ministry of Finance thereafter.

“I spoke with Ms Joelle (a representative of the Village Road business owners) yesterday and gave a commitment to meet with a group in the early part of January, which will give us an opportunity to have discussions with the Ministry of Finance so that when we sit down we will see what is feasible in terms of providing some stimulation.

“And this is an area that we have to address because as we undertake other major road rehabilitation and developments, we have to make provisions to see how we provide stimulation to impacted businesses, because the whole point is to enhance business not to put people out of business,” he said.

Mr Sears made these comments on the sidelines of an event in Great Harbour Cay.

He added that the most recent delay to road works on Village Road is due to a wait on resources for asphalt, but that Emile Knowles and his team from Knowles Construction, the company with responsibility for completing the road works, are willing to work throughout the upcoming holiday to make sure this newest completion date is met.

“I visited the site two days ago. And met with him. He told me that there’s been a slight delay due to the supply of bitumen for the making of asphalt and that he intends to pave throughout Christmas,” Mr Sears said.

“His expectation, as he represented to me, is that the paving will be completed in the first week of January. And thereafter, traffic could move freely, and the striping and other subsidiary work could be done as the traffic is flowing. So, that is the latest report that I have gotten from Mr Emile Knowles,” Mr Sears said.

On December 15, Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said he was open to reviewing the stimulus package proposal from Village Road business owners.

Mr Halkitis told The Tribune at the time that though he did not personally receive the proposal he would be open to reviewing it.

“They have a proposal? If so, we can definitely take a look at it. Have not seen anything. Tell them to send it to me,” Mr Halkitis said.

On December 9, Michael Fields, president of Four Walls Squash and Social Club on Village Road submitted the letter addressed to Mr Sears and the Ministry of Works, which petitioned for several forms of support including VAT credits, a waiver on several business-related fees, refurbishment grants, sponsorship, concessions on Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) and the appointment of a public affairs officers who can communicate with business owners.