If you corner MP Nelson Bascome for a conversation about the Marsh Folly parkland promise brace yourself for an ear full.

In some ways the 20-year scuttlebutt has consumed his entire life because he grew up in the area and then in 2003 became the elected representative for Pembroke East Central, a constituency which includes the former landfill and many of the surrounding communities.

Mr. Bascome met with The Royal Gazette on Perimeter Lane.

He believes the reason people on that street feel neglected is simple: “They feel forgotten because it’s not discussed.”

Although the original promise was made by the United Bermuda Party, the Progressive Labour Party stalwart thinks his political brethren should be doing more — or at minimum saying more.

He explained it this way: “The PLP Government has never said anything about the development of this here. Now, do I get challenged?

“Yes, I get challenged everyday because I’m saying, ‘When are we going to do something, when are we going to turn it into a park’.”

So far, it would seem, his question has been unanswered.

This newspaper e-mailed a query to a Ministry of Works and Engineering spokesperson one week ago.

He was asked to explain the long- and short-term plans for the Marsh Folly Horticultural Site. There has been no response yet.

Mr. Bascome is on a leave of absence from his post as Minister of Health.

As a member of Cabinet he would presumably have the attention of other Government Ministers.

But up until now that access has not paid off for the people of Perimeter Lane.

Mr. Bascome wonders whether or not the Ministry of Works and Engineering even has a viable plan.

He said: “I don’t think it’s been formulated or articulated. I think they’ve turned this into a horticultural dumping ground.

“We haven’t mentioned anything about what we’re going to turn this into.”

The UBP widely revealed its plan in the late 1980s, but then never acted on it.

When the torch of Government leadership went to the PLP, the plan was never revived.

However, there is progress around the Marsh Folly site. A playground and a basketball court are already in.

A boardwalk and a new outdoor sports facility are believed to be on the way.

Mr. Bascome says those attributes cannot be overlooked because those advances were fought for and gained.

He said: “You look to the west I’ve got an open field, I got a football field and I got a baseball diamond. That is part of a park.

“On the southern side I can chip my golf balls or jump on my playground equipment or play some basketball. So they see a slow progression now in terms of the overall scheme of things.”

But for Mr. Bascome, and the people of Perimeter Lane, that progress does not measure up to the original expectations.

The MP said: “They haven’t heard what the forward thinking is on this area. They know the previous Government made promises that it would be a park, and that was it.

“This Government hasn’t really said anything about what’s going to be here. I think they wait with bated breath for a plan for this area.”