FREEPORT, Grand Bahama, July 14, 2023 – Declaring that there is nothing more important than ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the families that reside in the Port Area, the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) today issued a statement expressing grave concern about the serious nature of safety violations at Lucayan Towers South.
“We have heard the cries and concerns of the families and residents that reside at Lucayan Towers South and have worked with them, and for them, to have several code violations and serious safety hazards addressed by the Condominium Board,” the statement said. “We have exhausted every avenue to appeal to …have the Board address the growing number of risks, like deteriorating balconies and handrails, the inoperable fire pump and tank system, and the defective exhaust fans on the roof of which are required for ventilation of the hallways and laundry rooms. Not to mention the defective elevator that limits mobility for residents, especially the elderly and those with health issues.”
The statement added: “Unfortunately, to date these critical items have yet to be remedied and so we have issued a Final Notice to the Board in which they have 30 days to present a tangible plan of action, or we will have no other alternative than to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy. We empathize with the residents of Lucayan Towers South who deserve the same basic right to a safe and hazard-free place to live as everyone else does in this country. We will meet with them to help them navigate these actions.”
HERE IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GBPA STATEMENT
“In carrying out the roles and responsibility of the Building and Development Services Department (BDS) of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA), there is nothing more important than ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the families and residents that depend on us in the Port Area.
This includes verifying the safety and integrity of structures and ensuring compliance to the Bahamas Building Code and the Building and Sanitary Code of the Grand Bahama Port Authority for the safeguarding of our community.
We have heard the cries and concerns of the families and residents that reside at Lucayan Towers South and have worked with them, and for them, to have several code violations and serious safety hazards addressed by the Condominium Board. We have exhausted every avenue to appeal to and have the Board address the growing number of risks like deteriorating balconies and handrails, the inoperable fire pump and tank system, and the defective exhaust fans on the roof of which are required for ventilation of the hallways and laundry rooms. Not to mention the defective elevator that limits mobility for residents, especially the elderly and those with health issues.
Unfortunately to date, these critical items have yet to be remedied and so we have issued a Final Notice to the Board in which they have 30 days to present a tangible plan of action, or we will have no other alternative than to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy. We empathize with the residents of Lucayan Towers South who deserve the same basic right to a safe and hazard-free place to live as everyone else does in this country. We will meet with them to help them navigate these actions.
We do not take such actions lightly. However, the serious nature of these safety violations, if left unchecked, could lead to a possible tragedy. With somber reflection we recall the not too long-ago catastrophic incident that occurred in Surfside Florida where the collapse of a 12 Story condominium resulted in 98 deaths. GBPA cannot allow this to be a possibility for the families and residents of Lucayan Tower South. This was not an easy decision, but an absolutely necessary one as even one tragedy is one too many.”
