EDITOR, The Tribune,

Please publish the following open letter to the Ministry of Works.

I am strongly opposed to a roundabout outside The Bahamas National Trust and Queen’s College for the following reasons:

A roundabout was never mentioned at the Ministry of Works town meeting in March. Residents and stakeholders were denied an opportunity to respond. Shame!

A roundabout was removed at the top of Village Road, practically a stone’s throw away, because it was ineffective and contributed to horrible congestion. Now MOW wants to build another one just down the street. A waste of the taxpayer’s money.

A roundabout will affect home values in the area. Would you like to live next to a roundabout?

BNT’s Retreat is a National Park enjoyed by locals and tourists. How can a government, particularly one that claims to be in the forefront of the fight against climate change, seize national park property held in trust for the Bahamian people? This is mind boggling and I hope they are not threatening to withhold subsidies to pressure BNT into giving up national park property. If so, Shame! Shame! Shame!

The traffic pile-up occurs only during school drop-off and pick-up hours. QC is not a public school. This is a school problem and the school seems to have successfully addressed the problem by staggering drop off and pick-up hours and opening a second access point.

Why has a roundabout been introduced at this late stage? Did the contract go out to bid? Who was awarded the contract? What will it cost the taxpayer and who bid what?

Residents, students, business owners and motorists are inhaling dust particles into their lungs daily. Prolonging the project to force a roundabout down their throats (along with the dust) is unconscionable.

The lumpy, dust choked and often muddy roads are taking a toll on the vehicles that must traverse Village Road.

Why abandon the original plan for a turning lane with a light operational during school drop-off and pick-up hours?

ATHENA DAMIANOS

Nassau,

September 25, 2022.