Mitchell On The Community Centre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7N8_k8PtTI
The following statement was issued by Senator Fred Mitchell on Thursday 23 November about the Fox Hill Community Centre:
Statement by Senator Fred Mitchell
Caretaker for the Fox Hill Constituency for the PLP
For Immediate Release
On The Fox Hill Community Centre
23 November 2017
I want to let the public know that seven months after a spanking and newly completed building valued at approximately 2 million dollars was opened and dedicated in full public view with a brand new swimming pool, on 16 November the power was disconnected by Bahamas Power and Light because the Government of The Bahamas did not pay the utility bill as they agreed. The phone service is also disconnected.
The irony is that the lights were disconnected on a day when one of the community groups was supposed to use the facility. Fortunately, the facility is generator enabled.
I have sought to discover why this is and the government has descended into a combination of amnesia, or forgetfulness, a petulant personal attack on me in the Senate and confusing legalisms and double talk. They claim that there is no record of the agreement by the Ministry of National Security to pay the staff and utility bills in exchange for the Government’s use of the facility to manage violence interruption programmes. I am advised that the computers they ordered for the centre they have refused to deliver.
They make their claims about the Centre despite the fact that there is a paper trail in cabinet papers and conclusions and public declarations by the previous Minister of National Security Bernard Nottage and the IDB, and inspections by the present Minister Marvin Dames and his team of the facility and the fact that the National Security ministry now manages the staff at the facility.
The claims are therefore disingenuous. The lights should be turned back on.
The Board includes ex officio the Member of Parliament Fox Hill who is an FNM representative. Even though she is on the Board, from Thursday of last week 16 November to now, the lights have not been reconnected.
One wonders if this were a neighbourhood in Kilarney or in St Anne’s with a different hue and socio economic group whether the Government’s actions would be what they are.
The swimming pool is in danger of turning green. The little children keep asking when they will be able to use the pool.
I appeal to the Government to have the lights turned back on so that the facility can be used for the purpose agreed between the Board of the facility and the Ministry of National Security, part of the citizen security imitative to help fight crime and lessen violence in the Fox Hill Community.
This comes off as pure spite against the people of Fox Hill. #turnonthefoxhillcentrelights
End