By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS of Moore’s Island are angry and fed up with years of unfulfilled promises and stalled projects, claiming the community has been left neglected by successive governments.

Nathaniel Hield, president of the Moore’s Island Improvement Association, said frustrations have reached a breaking point as critical infrastructure, including the airport, clinic, and docks, remain in disrepair or incomplete despite millions of dollars allocated.

On Tuesday, residents staged a protest, urging the government to act on the island’s longstanding issues. Demonstrators warned that if their concerns are not resolved, they will send a message at the ballot box. “No clinic, no vote; no seawall, no vote; no dock, no teachers, no vote,” they chanted during the protest.

Mr Hield said the people of Moore’s Island are disgruntled, and tired of the many unfulfilled promises, including unfinished government projects such as the seawall and dock.

“A contract was awarded here to a contractor to do some work. The work has been going on for four years, and they said it’s $12m, but nothing is completed as yet,” he said

According to Mr Hield, the island’s government clinic is “in a deplorable state,” forcing nurses to leave by midday due to a lack of air conditioning and proper electricity. “When it rains, the janitor has to go in at 6am to bail out water,” he said. “They call it the ‘Clinic in the Can’. It’s moldy inside and not fit for proper medical care.”

The airport terminal, he added, has also fallen into disuse. “If it’s raining and you arrive by plane, you have to stay on the aircraft because the terminal is locked up and not operational. The bathrooms don’t work, there is no air conditioning, and part of the electrical system is down.”

Mr Hield said contracts issued for repair and construction have repeatedly stalled due to political changes. “The FNM gave a contractor the airport project, then the PLP stopped it for review,” he said. “Nothing has been done since. The same with the seawall and dock – a contract was awarded, but the work has not been carried out.”

The island’s fishermen, he noted, have been especially affected. “This is a fishing community, but the main dock for freight boats and big fishing vessels is out of order,” he said. “It has been broken and left that way. Fishermen are inconvenienced .”

Education is also a concern. With about 500 residents and 200 schoolchildren, Mr Hield said Moore’s Island suffers from a shortage of teachers. He said the school building itself is in good condition as BTVI adopted the school and built a new restroom block. “But, we need more than two additional teachers,” he added.

To draw attention to their plight, Mr Hield said the community decided to hold a protest. He said they have raised concerns for more than five years, but promises by both PLP and FNM administrations have failed to deliver results.

“This is not a political thing – this is an island thing,” he stressed. “We’ve had promises for 10, seven, and five years. They told us we would get our property deeds and they sent surveyors. When the PLP came to office, they came back last year and said that in the space of three weeks we would get our property deed, but we haven’t,” Mr Hield said.

“We’re just tired. The people are angry and frustrated. We are neglected.”

He also dismissed claims that a rubber track had been built for local athletes. “That’s a lie from the pit of hell,” he said, adding that a dormitory project for student athletes was started but left unfinished.

“It’s like every time an election comes, they come and throw us a little party, give us sweet words and promises,” Mr Hield said. “But nothing changes. We are tired of being taken for fools.”