Hodge: Land dispute doesn’t stop Hodge’s Creek project

The Public Works Department is advancing with roadworks in Hodges Creek despite a land dispute with a local property owner. The landowner has erected fence posts along a section of the roadway, claiming ownership of the land.

The government announced on Sunday that the Paraquita Bay Road leading from the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College to Hodges Creek would be closed to vehicular traffic until Wednesday to facilitate concrete works for the road project.

However, Public Works Director Jeremy Hodge stated that the landowner’s action will not halt the project.

“The landowner has installed fence posts along what has been the roadway for many years,” Hodge stated while speaking on ZBVI radio. “This does not prevent us from proceeding with the works.”

Hodge acknowledged that the matter is contentious and currently under review by the ministry. “I won’t be able to say much about it, being that it is a contentious matter, now in the hands of the ministry and whomever else to resolve,” he noted.

Despite the dispute, construction continues on the eastern entrance of the project, extending towards the Abattoir area. “We’ve already cast about 700 linear feet of road so far and are continuing to form and place more forms along the way,” Hodge reported.

A meeting is scheduled to address the land ownership issue. In the meantime, the Public Works Department said it remains committed to advancing the project. “We will have to continue our roadworks regardless,” Hodge asserted.

The Hodges Creek-Paraquita Bay road project has faced multiple challenges leading up to the current land dispute. In October 2024, Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn called for the government to retender its 30-mile road project, expressing concerns about transparency and potential mismanagement of public funds. Penn highlighted that the road project between Paraquita Bay and Hodges Creek, costing just under $3 million, encountered numerous problems, raising doubts about the ministry’s ability to manage larger projects.

Further delays occurred in November 2024 due to necessary changes in survey and design plans. Minister for Communication and Works Kye Rymer apologised to residents and motorists for the setbacks, explaining that amendments were essential to meet all design requirements before commencing concrete works.

Safety concerns have also been raised during the project’s progression. Just last week, Minister Rymer urged motorists to exercise caution following a vehicular accident near the roadworks site in Hodges Creek.

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