The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

ONE of the nation's environmental groups has raised concern over the current state of affairs at the New Providence Landfill since the May 10 general election.

Representatives of Raising Awareness for the Bahamas Landfill (RABL), noting the proposals laid out by government officials over the weekend, yesterday raised questions over the ongoing status of compacting schedules at the landfill site.

In comments circulated on social media, Heather Carey, co-spokesperson for RABL, claimed that the dumpsite has remained "uncompacted, uncovered" and "fully exposed" for several weeks.

Her post went on to speculate that the changes in government and lack of clarity on the role the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS) should play in the day-to-day management of the site has left this practice undone.

"This is something that should be done and has not been done by DEHS since the election we have been told," Ms Carey claimed on Facebook.

"Two weeks ago, RABL visited the site to see and confirm for ourselves. RABL has been seeking answers as to why this is not being done and when the public can expect for this to be addressed. Every day that this most fundamental process is neglected the fire risk and health hazards become greater."

When contacted to clarify the post this week, Ms Carey explained that she was out of the country and referred comment to Laura Paine, attorney and co-founder of RABL.

In an interview with The Tribune on Wednesday morning, Mrs Paine did not add further comment on that issue, but applauded the recent release of a damning report from the Pan American Health Organisation, which classified the landfill as an "urgent public health hazard" presenting a "chronic health risk" to residents.

She said the report painted a portrait of conditions her group has worked to bring attention to for much of the past two years.

"The report is there black and white," she said. "Anyone can read it. Hopefully now people can understand how dangerous this situation really is. Living conditions for so many Bahamians have been threatened for far too long."

Asked about the current state of affairs at the landfill, Mrs Paine said she recognised that the new administration has a "huge" task ahead of it.

"We have met with the prime minister and the minister of health. We have heard their plans and are prepared to work closely with them to bring about some resolution.

"There are so many sources of pollution that need to be addressed . . . the cruise ships, oil spills, vehicle emissions. We recognised that there is a lot of work to be done and we will work along with the government as best we could."

The Minnis administration made the PAHO report public last Thursday, about a month after the report was submitted to the previous government, the Christie administration.

Former Environment Minister Kenred Dorset has denied assertions that the Christie administration sought to "suppress" the report.

On Tuesday he told The Tribune that the report was emailed to him at the height of the 2017 general election season, a period in which he said he was not in office.

The former administration moved management responsibilities of the landfill to the Department of Environmental Services (DEHS) last year after Renew Bahamas withdrew its services following claims that their agreed upon venture with the government was not profitable and was not yielding the expected results.

Renew Bahamas also cited the continued absence of power and communications, including internet; the absence of fuel supplies; overturned containers; and the closure of the Nassau Container Port, preventing further exports and revenue generation, as reasons for its departures.

Officials at DEHS have not offered comment on developments at the site.

Deputy Director of Environmental Health Services Thomasina Wilson could not be reached for comment.