The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE removal of the 30,000 plus storm-damaged vehicles in the City of Freeport and other parts of the island is continuing two years after Dorian, a Grand Bahama Port Authority official said.

An estimated 5,000 to 7,000 derelict vehicles to date have been removed off the island.

Troy McIntosh, City Manager and Deputy Director of the Building Development Services Department at GBPA, admits that it has been a “daunting task.”

Although there has been some progress, he said that a lot more work is still needed to rid the city and island of these environmental hazards.

The 2022 North Atlantic Hurricane season began on June 1, and roughly 77 percent of the derelict vehicles remain on the island.

“As you know, more than 30,000 plus vehicles were damaged, said Mr McIntosh. “Successfully one vendor has moved more than 40 trailers with over 4,000 vehicles to date,” he said.

Another vendor has also removed vehicles off the island.

“We just issued a few contracts to licensees, and 702 vehicles in total were removed over the last month. So, from January to date, we probably had somewhere between 5,000 to 7,000 cars moved off the island.”

Mr McIntosh indicated that they have cleaned up the illegal dumping site to the north of the baseball field known as the Haul Road.

More than 2,500 vehicles, he said, were dumped there illegally.

“That area has been cleaned up through the partnership between the container port and the Port Authority. And, that has cost over $36,000 to clean up,” he said,

Mr McIntosh said that they were able to complete the clean up a week ago. However, he noted that people are still trying to dump things in the area.

“The area is now cordoned off. It is alarming that persons had attempted to dump in that site. We were not able to catch them, but are asking the public to be responsible.

He explained that the illegal dumping of derelict vehicles, bulk trash, and construction debris affects everyone with a cost.

“There is a cost to all of us that is (included) in the service charges that we pay for it,” he said.

The GBPA official is urging residents to refrain from the practice of illegal dumping.

“We still have a lot of work to do in some sites where illegal derelict vehicles are being dumped.

“It is a daunting task, to be honest, but vendors are trying to assist in getting those vehicles off the island as much as possible,” Mr McIntosh said.

He said they are also working with a local vendor on Queens Highway to make certain they clean up and move vehicles at their premises.

“We have seen some progress, but not as much as we would like because there is still a tremendous amount of cars north of the premises that need to be removed.

“There is a timeline we have provided them because it is not only an eyesore, but an environmental concern for the city.”

Mr McIntosh reported that derelict vehicles is an issue all over the city. At Mahogany Street, there are 500 vehicles, and at the site at Queens Highway, about 5,000 to 7,000 vehicles are there.

“We had made some dents, and we would like to make more, but it is a costly venture, not only to the PA, but to residents themselves,” he said.

Mr McIntosh said that residents who have derelict vehicles on their property could call Best Class which charges a small fee to remove them. He said residents could also call the GBPA 24-hour hotline at 352-2000 if they would like cars in the yards moved for disposal.