October 29th, 2014
Hon. Kenred Dorsett M.P. Minister of the Environment and Housing RE: FNM SHOULD ADMIT DIRE STATE IN WHICH THEY LEFT HOUSING It is obvious from the statement released by the FNM's Deputy Chairman, Mr. Brensil Rolle, that he and his party are in dire need of political points and are seeking to get them by continually releasing statements concerning the housing portfolio of my ministry. As minister responsible for Environment and Housing, I have endeavoured to keep the public abreast of the activities of my ministry as regards our efforts to provide affordable housing options for the Bahamian people. As I informed in previous statements on this issue, The Department of Housing is working to ensure that the existing homes, in Strachan's Hill and all other areas such as Fire Trail Subdivision, are assigned or reassigned. In some instances, homes would have been previously assigned but not occupied, this is due to circumstances such as the preference of the prospective homeowners and the ability of persons to secure mortgage financing. I have also stated before that it is our intention that homeowners receive all the necessary legal documents and that a mortgage is securely in place before homes are occupied. The is inline with best practices. There is no politics involved in the assignment process, it is based on financial qualification, availability of inventory, and the issuance of legal documentation.� The FNM's Deputy Chairman should admit to the Bahamian people the state in which his administration left the Housing ministry. The former administration constructed homes with absolutely NO infrastructure and no budget for it. These are homes that I met unoccupied when I assumed office. We completed the infrastructure, at a cost of approximately $2 million, Bahamian families are now occupying those homes. He should tell the people that his administration built homes in the midst of a Shanty Town and expected Bahamians to spend their hard earned monies to repay mortgages for such homes. This administration has removed those shanty structures. He should admit that his administration built and conveyed houses that did not have subdivision approval which is in contravention of a law that they drafted and passed. This administration ensured that subdivision approval was sought and received. He should admit that homes built under his administration have major structural issues due to shoddy workmanship that we are now having to deal with. Mr. Rolle should admit that given the circumstances in which he and his administration left the Housing ministry this administration has made incredible strides in two and a half short years and continue to do so daily. The number of homes that are unoccupied presently is no where near to the number being bandied about by Mr. Rolle. These are truths that you will not get from Mr. Rolle or his party because they are in search of cheap political points and not the advancement of this nation. This government and my ministry remains committed to providing the Bahamian people with affordable housing options and are working everyday toward that end, which includes resolving issues that were left behind by his administration. END