The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

LOCAL environmentalists have suspected for years that Hawksbill Creek was being polluted by industrial toxic dumping. Now their fears have been confirmed as officials have finally admitted it, according to the chairman of a leading conservation group.

Joseph Darville, of Save the Bays, claimed that earlier this year Bahama Rock officials associated with the harbour expansion project had finally admitted that the creek was “toxic” and unfit for human use. Mr Darville and a representative from the Bahamas National Trust were invited to a meeting by company officials, who wanted to discuss their expansion plans which encompassed the south creek.

A massive excavation by Bahama Rock is currently underway at the south creek, which is being filled in with earth for the expansion of the harbour. The rock mining company is carrying out major excavation and dredging and filling of the creek and conducts blasting at the site.

Many years ago though, environmentalists had expressed concerns about possible pollution in the creek, which served as a marine habitat for fish. Many bird species also migrate to the creek and nest in the extensive mangrove bushes.

Mr Darville claimed that in the meeting officials reportedly justified what they were going to do at Hawksbill Creek by admitting that the entire area had been toxic.

He said: “Reference was made to the fact that the whole area had been designated a long time ago for phenomenal long-term development extension of the harbour, and to justify that for what they were going to do … they said the whole area had been toxic.

“It was toxic - we had been saying that for years. That the whole area was being poisoned by the industrial companies. This was admitted at the meeting - that it was toxic and would serve no purpose to anyone because they should not eat anything that came out of that bay area, and they said it included Billie Cay, which had already been utilised as a dumpsite for things dredged in the harbour area.

“To come at this point and admit publicly that the area was toxic serves no purpose to even preserve for if for human use,” said the environmentalist.

According to Mr Darville, officials had promised to make some restitution by creating a bird sanctuary. He noted that the area which is now under threat of development is replenished by birds of all species that migrate in the mangroves at Hawksbill Creek.

“There are some unique specifies of birds that come only to that area to nest,” he said. “They were aware of that because when they did the impact assessment that was one of the things they singled out, and that they would do a sanctuary for the birds, and preserve an area where the birds would still have a nesting area. None of that was done,” Mr Darville claimed.

Another aggravating issue Mr Darville believes is the inconvenience to the residents of the Hawksbill Subdivision who are being affected by the Bahama Rock blasting. Residents claim that strong vibrations from blasting have caused damage to their homes, such as cracks in the walls and damage to foundations. They also claim that their homes shake and fear they will collapse on them.

Mr Darville said it was suggested that restitution should be made to residents by building a recreation area and park to compensate for inconvenience.

Dave Barr, a member of the Concerned Citizens of the Hawksbill Subdivision, said that residents should be compensated for the damage caused to their homes. Mr Barr said that company CEO visited the area along with some experts to assess damaged structures.

“They took pictures and looked at the structures, but in the past when they had contractors look at the homes in Eight Mile Rock, the final word was shoddy work. I have a problem with that because as one of the oldest settlements as far as construction, the homes were able to withstand many storms and hurricanes, and now all of a sudden we have a corporate citizen nearby doing blasting and now homes have cracks and you say its due to shoddy work? We don’t accept that,” he said.

Mr Barr claims that residents now have water seeping up through the foundations of their homes when it rains. “I think government needs to step in because the people we entrusted them … to protect the rights of Bahamians,” he said.