Government ministers need to be specific and call a spade what it is and not speak in generalities. Shoddy work that has caused the Government and the consumers unnecessary money is either criminal or it is not. But it is not “almost criminal,” as cited this week by Housing Minister Shane Gibson.
The contractors alone cannot be faulted for the inferior work that went into the buildings complained about. They had accomplices, including the Government inspectors, who approved every stage of the buildings’ progress, and who perhaps profited because they looked the other way.
This is a prime area that needs to be addressed.
Minister Gibson may be well intentioned in laying down the law to building contractors, but the proof of the pudding is still in the eating. Until and unless persons who produce shoddy workmanship are made to pay the consequences of their misdeeds, the rhetorical retorts are just so much sounding brass.
The rules and regulations must be enforced or they will continue to be meaningless blots on paper and soundless words coming out of the mouths of officials such as Minister Gibson’s exposition regarding the unfinished houses in a Grand Bahama subdivision. “That is absolutely disgraceful and I don’t know how that could have happened in the ministry, but that will absolutely not happen again.”
Everybody has 20-20 hindsight vision. They can see clearly what was done wrong, particularly if the offending persons were not of their choosing. But that is what preventative measures are all about, however, they only work when applied.
Penalty clauses in contracts are not a new innovation and should be a standard inclusion for Government subdivisions and public buildings. Cost over runs including bank interests caused by the persons contracted to do the work should be borne by those persons and should never be passed on to the vulnerable consumer. This has to stop and it must be seen to have stopped.
In addition to having to pay the relative costs, an added penalties for continued poor work habits, it should be that the offending persons or companies not be given contracts for a specified time frame and it is ascertained that reoccurrence of their past performances are unlikely to happen.
The Bahamian people are tired of hearing silvery pronouncements by the politicians who, before the fact, promised “deliverance,” “hope,” and “help.” And they certainly don’t want to hear the excuses of why what was promised can’t be delivered, why their hopes will have to be dashed and why they can’t get the help they need.
It is time that the truth be told.
Editorial, The Nassau Guardian
