The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE government has assured the residents of Pinder’s Point and Lewis Yard in Grand Bahama that it is committed to ensuring their safety and well being. It has branded an “erroneous message” circulating there as “political mischief”.

A message was posted in the Grand Bahama Environmental Association Whatsapp chat group claiming that a final safety assessment report conducted under the former Christie administration was completed and forwarded to new Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson.

The individual who sent the message, identified only as JB, further claimed that the report recommends that the government relocate all the residents living in the vicinity of the BORCO refinery away from the oil storage facility.

The Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahama issued a press statement in response to the message on Tuesday.

“The government wishes to respond to the erroneous message which has been circulating on social media about the residents of Pinder’s Point and Lewis Yard. It is unfortunate that someone would seek to do political mischief particularly with an issue that affects the lives and livelihood of these residents,” the statement read.

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and World Health Organisation (WHO) conducted an environmental and health risk assessment of the Lewis Yard and Pinder’s Point areas in December 2014 through November 2015, at the request of the Christie administration.

The Ministry for Grand Bahama then began initial consultations with stakeholders: the Pinder’s Point Lewis Yard Environmental Committee, the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Department of Environmental Health Services.

The 2015 PAHO/WHO report assessed that during the monitoring period and based on air and water sampling, no evidence was found of harmful chemical exposure on a day-to-day basis in the affected residual areas under review.

The report was made public and tabled in the House of Assembly by former Minister of Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville.

“As a result, the former government consented to a further assessment and installation of a monitoring system. In April of 2017, the former government received a progress report of the monitoring system and draft report of the further assessment. These reports were not made public at the time,” Tuesday’s statement noted.

“These reports which the present government met in office are receiving urgent and immediate attention.

“The public and particularly those residents who are affected should note that this government is committed and has acted in an open, transparent and responsible manner with the report at the New Providence Landfill and will continue this policy with respect to the residents of Pinder’s Point and Lewis Yard.”

In the PAHO/WHO report, two recommendations were made to the government: the installation of e-noses to monitor air quality, which have been installed in the affected areas. The second was to conduct a safety risk assessment of the communities near the industrial plant. The Antea Group of the Netherlands had been contracted under the previous administration to conduct that study.