Former DPM Talks Successive Governments and the Shantytown Crisis

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A former deputy prime minister is admitting that successive governments have dropped the ball on affordable housing, helping to create today’s shantytown crisis.

Over the years, countless residents, both legal and illegal, have called these unregulated structures home.

And the former deputy prime minister says it comes down to one main issue.

There has been a lot of talk about immigration as of late, with government passing the Smuggling of Migrants Bill, a move that has sparked wide public discussion.

And when conversations turn to smuggling and illegal migration, shantytowns are often part of that dialogue.

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Immigration Minister Brent Symonette says at the heart of the issue is a lack of affordable housing.

Brent Symonette – Former Deputy Prime Minister
“I understand the government recently moved people into a building of Mackey Street I think used to be on Ponciana in whatever so we have a number of homeless people affordable house can be $200,000 because that’s not affordable so I don’t know – Prime Minister plans to build some new whatever – I don’t know what those prices are gonna be three, hundred 152 that’s not affordable for a teacher who’s only earning X dollars.”

For years, these unregulated communities have not only been eyesores, but have also created dangerous living conditions, with illegal activity often taking place.

Brent Symonette – Former Deputy Prime Minister
“So I can’t run a generator at my house and not get BEC because I’d be breaking the law but in some of the shanty town, the fellow is selling electricity and 15 drop cords later… question of hygiene, sewer, and water. I mean there’s some other concerns about the fact that may be in a illegal immigrant there’s also standards of the power of the town planning, etc. They’re being breached so multiple in fractions and a lot of these areas.”

Symonette also says assumptions about who lives in shantytowns are often incorrect.

Brent Symonette – Former Deputy Prime Minister
“A lot of cases of people… certainly when you look at the FNM they did it in Abaco a number of people in the shanty towns weee actually legal residents and or Bahamian so we shouldn’t put up this feeling that everyone and Shanny is an illegal immigrant.”

The current Davis-led administration has moved to address the issue, with a number of demolitions carried out over the past two years by the Unregulated Community Action Task Force, and several more slated for next year.