Minister of Housing Shane Gibson revealed on Friday that the tract of land in the Perpall Tract area that was at the center of controversy two weeks ago will be developed as planned. That decision came following a review of a report from The Bahamas Environment Science and Technology Commission (BEST).
The Ministry of Housing acquired the land from the Water and Sewerage Corporation, allocating 20 acres of the 203 acres for affordable housing and the balance of the land would be used for the possible site of a golf course.
Two weeks ago government officials sent a tractor to the area to begin clearing the land in preparation for housing developments. But concerned residents objected, and work on that project was stopped.
Since then officials of the BEST commission, who recently submitted that report to the government, did an evaluation of the land.
According to the minister that report suggested that the area is not as environmentally sensitive as some of the residents of the Chippingham area suggested. He said that the report indicated that the area consists of co-co plum trees, grape trees and snakes, things that are commonly found around The Bahamas.
Minister Gibson said that the governments position at this time, is to go through the report, and all of those trees that it recommends be protected will be tagged to ensure that they will not be cut down as the development starts.
“Certainly we will not be protecting snakes and co-co plum trees when we are trying to provide housing for the people of The Bahamas,” Minister Gibson said. “We have too many people looking for houses and I think that it is unconscionable that anybody would want to protect co-co plum trees over providing houses for people of The Bahamas.”
The Ministry of Housing intends on building some 70 affordable homes on that tract of land, once a thorough review of the report is completed and the necessary consultative process is done. According to Minister Gibson, construction should begin in early 2006.
Some Chippingham residents had claimed that the proposed area contained some of the most diverse plant life on New Providence and is very import to the islands ecosystem.
They also claimed that the area provides a sanctuary for various types of Birds and requires protection.
We have over 203 acres there, and certainly we will be able to move through the land and we won’t destroy any of those trees that (BEST) think should be protected,” Minister Gibson said. “But those trees that are common to The Bahamas on land throughout the country like grape trees, co-co plum trees and the snakes that they talk about we will clear out.”
By: Stephen Gay, The Bahama Journal
