New programme to support community projects
A $3 million scheme will be launched to support community beautification projects and bolster continuing maintenance projects, MPs heard last week.
Jaché Adams, the Minister of Public Works and Environment, told the House of Assembly on Friday that the community beautification programme would allow Members of Parliament to identify and prioritise projects in their constituencies.
The programme is intended to support minor works including clean-ups, landscaping, playground and fencing repairs, sign improvements and public safety enhancements.
Mr Adams said: “The community beautification programme is not intended to replace the ministry’s existing maintenance programme, nor is it an acknowledgement that our officers are not doing enough. Quite the opposite.
“It recognises the outstanding work already being carried out across Bermuda while creating an additional pathway to deliver the smaller community improvements that residents value most.
“For the first time, Members of Parliament will have a dedicated mechanism to identify and prioritise local projects on behalf of their constituents.
“Rather than these requests entering the wider maintenance programme and competing with emergency works and major infrastructure projects, they will be considered through a separate programme with its own funding and delivery framework.
“Quite simply, this gives the Government another practical way to respond to the needs of our communities.”
Mr Adams said that while maintenance plans are in place, minor works often have to be rescheduled as teams tackle more urgent matters.
He said: “The programme has been deliberately designed around projects that are practical, repeatable and capable of being delivered efficiently by the ministry.
“These are projects that generally fall within the ministry’s existing authority and do not require lengthy approvals from other regulatory agencies, allowing us to move more quickly from request to completion.”
Mr Adams said that to deliver the projects, the ministry would fund a “modest expansion” of the Bermuda Housing Corporation’s Hustle Truck programme, funding an additional truck and a support team.
He said: “The Hustle Truck programme has quietly become an excellent example of what the Government can achieve through partnership.
“It provides employment opportunities, develops practical skills and enables Bermudians to contribute directly to improving the communities in which they live.
“At the same time, it has become an invaluable partner in delivering community-based projects across the island.
“Demand for Hustle Truck’s services continues to grow, and this investment recognises both its success and its potential.
“Working alongside ministry crews and private contractors, the additional truck and support team will increase our capacity to deliver beautification projects more efficiently and more consistently.”
Mr Adams said that while the initiative will not immediately solve all of the island’s maintenance challenges overnight, it would provide an additional tool to allow parliamentarians to address the concerns of their constituents and improve public spaces.
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