Government in talks to address housing situation in Garden Villas, Grand Bahama

By LEDEDRA MARCHE
Bahamas Information Services


GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas – As the government moves ahead with its strategy to bring relief to the people of Grand Bahama, the Hon. Keith Bell, who recently took on the portfolio as the new minister of Housing and Urban Renewal, travelled to Grand Bahama, September 21, to meet with Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey and relevant stakeholders.

Top on the agenda was the decrepit state of the housing complex situated in the Garden Villas area, a stone’s throw away from the downtown shopping district.

Minister Bell was also accompanied by Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal, the Hon. Lisa Rahming and a delegation from New Providence.

Before conducting a walkabout in the Garden Villas area, Ministers Moxey and Bell headed the contingent in meetings with executives of the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Grand Bahama Development Company Thursday morning.

“We’ve also had tours at various facilities that will help us carry through some of these projects that we want to do. But I’m just excited that we will begin to see action because there is so much that our people have been going through and so we are working hand in hand, the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Housing and Urban Renewal, to ensure that we not only bring relief but that we will revitalize these communities,” Minister Moxey said.

The delegation performed a general walkthrough in the Garden Villas area to get a first-hand view of the living conditions and spoke to a number of residents.

Cognizant of the work ahead and the relief it would bring to the area residents, Minister Moxey was elated to collaborate with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal and private stakeholders to get the projects started.

“I’m so excited that they are here on Grand Bahama to really assess the situation on the ground. There is a lot of work that needs to be done. We are now in the Garden Villas area that requires numerous issues to be addressed. One of them is housing. You can see many of these dilapidated structures that exist,” she said, while pointing out that Minister Bell has made Garden Villas a priority as one of the initial projects to be undertaken on Grand Bahama.

The delegation also visited the area Urban Renewal Office and the Heritage Subdivision.

PHOTO CAPTION

HOUSING PROJECTS – Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey and Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal, the Hon. Keith Bell led a delegation on a walkabout of Garden Villas on Thursday to get a first-hand view of the living conditions as part of government’s plan to further address the housing situation on Grand Bahama.

(BIS Photos/Lisa Davis)