The Tribune

IT seems mindboggling.

A ship loaded with infested wood gets turned away from New Orleans, so what happens next? It’s brought to The Bahamas and thrown into the landfill at Freeport.

Now The Bahamas has to deal with the consequences of some spectacularly short-sighted decision-making.

Do we really take our environment seriously?

In yesterday’s Tribune, we reported on Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ national address, which was torn between trying to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus and trying not to kill our resurgent tourism industry.

Why do tourists head for The Bahamas? Our beaches, our spectacular waters, our sunshine. That’s the environment we need to protect – and yet here we are casually letting an invasive beetle into our land rather than turning the boat away and saying, no sir, not today.

We’ve already seen the impact of invasive species here with the lionfish that spread through our waters – do we really want to invite in more?

We still haven’t heard anything from that so-called investigation into damage to the sea floor reportedly from cruise ships anchored in our waters during the pandemic.

Is it any wonder people think our talk of environmental concern is just that: talk?

As activist Joseph Darville asks, “Are we becoming a dumping ground now for poisonous materials that Louisiana or Mississippi who would not even allow the ship to dock there, and the darn ship comes here? Who cleared the ship? Who allowed it to be cleared in our waters for this stuff to be offloaded and landed in Freeport. This is absolutely unbelievable.”

Unbelievable, indeed. Worse, what else is being allowed in? What will be allowed in next week, next month, next year?

We would hope the Ministry of the Environment would speak to the matter with urgency – and while they’re at it, give an update on that seabed investigation.

That is, if we’re really serious about protecting our environment.

Pay taxes

It’s time to pay up for Al Collie.

A court has given him 60 days to pay $734,222 in outstanding real property taxes – but his battle to fend off the bill took him to the very top, a meeting with Prime Minister Dr Minnis.

It must be very nice indeed for someone who owes a bill to be able to plead their case to the Prime Minister, it’s certainly not a luxury afforded to many.

We sincerely hope Dr Minnis gave him short shrift and told him to go pay his bill.

Belts are tight after the fall in income due to COVID-19, but there’s no room for favours at the best of times if we are to aspire to be a society of fairness.

No one likes paying taxes, but they are our contribution to make sure our country functions. It’s never welcome, but it’s our duty.

We hope Mr Collie does that duty promptly.