By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NORTH Abaco MP Kirk Cornish wants government to create a special task force to deal with unregulated shanty towns on Abaco due to an increasing number of illegal communities springing up on the island.

Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Mr Cornish said the number of reports he has received about growing shanty town communities on the island were alarming.

He said some people were just squatting on properties illegally, while others were renting it from Bahamians granted Crown land by the government.

He was contacted after sources told this newspaper that the Davis administration was mobilising a task force to soon deal with the issue.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe could not be reached for confirmation on the matter yesterday.

 But when contacted, Mr Cornish noted that he too has heard similar reports, but could not confirm the accuracy of the claims.

 “I can’t confirm it, but I have heard it just like you,” he said. “I haven’t been in any meeting with any minister where that was confirmed that is something they’re doing.

 “However, the minister indicated that he is putting his work together to address the matter. Now does that involve a taskforce? For me, I believe it should.”

 The North Abaco MP said he believes the task force should be stationed on the island for at least a year just to get a handle on the vexing situation.

 “There should be a task force assigned only to deal with this issue so deal with it one time, end it and move on,” he added. “There are some persons who are born here and just need status and there are some who are illegally occupying this country who can be deported. We just have to deal with.

 “It’s one thing to talk about something, but it’s  next to just do something about it and I think that’s where this country is. We are at the point now where we just need to do less talking and do what you have to do.”

 He also explained that the issue of dealing with illegal shantytowns was not just a government problem, but a “Bahamas problem,” adding “this has been around for a long time.”

 “It is my hope and prayer that this government does have what it takes to finally address it and not just address it but bring it to some sort of closure,” he continued.

 Before Hurricane Dorian decimated them in 2019, shanty towns across Abaco had more than 1,000 homes and an estimated population size of 3,500, according to government reports.

 However, after the storm hit the island, the government issued an immediate ban on the construction of any new buildings in the four major shanty towns on Abaco and later began demolition exercises of newly built structures there.

 Those exercises were stopped after Supreme Court Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson ordered the government to cease and desist further interference with those communities until the judicial review of the matter was completed.

 She also ordered that officials must get approval from the court before demolishing any further structures.

 When asked to give an estimate of how many shanty towns are currently housed in Abaco, Mr Cornish said it was too difficult to say as the reported numbers were “alarming”.

 However, he gave an assurance that the matter would be addressed by the government.

 He said: “I’ve spoken to the minister and it was indicated to me that they are doing their legal frameworks, but it is something that is on the radar of our government.”

 “We will address the matter; however, we have pledged to address it in a humane (way) and legally rather than harshly.

 “We would like to actually have a strategic legal approach to it,” he also said. “Persons who occupy these properties, they are well aware of the fact that they are breaking the law.”

 Mr Cornish continued: “It is only a matter of time when they will be faced with the consequences of breaking those laws. I have spoken with the minister as indicated earlier and I’ve learned that we actually have Bahamians who would have been granted Crown land that are leasing their properties to non-Bahamians and persons who are constructing these unregulated homes.

 “All of those matters are being looked at and the legality of it has been considered and whenever the government does make an approach, it will be within the laws. It will be intentional. It will be calculated. It will be decisive and it will give us the result that is much needed to finally bring some sense to this vexing issue that’s been going on for the history of this country.”