A photograph which Renew Bahamas said was taken yesterday, reportedly showing that the smoke at the landfill had now been suppressed.
By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
THE spokesperson for a local environmental awareness group yesterday told The Tribune she is contemplating leaving the country to avoid “struggling” with “major” health issues brought on as a result of the recurrent fires at the New Providence landfill.
Heather Carey, spokesperson for Raising Awareness about the Bahamas Landfill (RABL), said she has endured “major asthma problems” and watery eyes ever since a massive fire broke out at the dump last week. For that reason, she said she is working on leaving the country within the next year – an action she said that has already been taken by some of her friends, and is also being considered by a few others because of the fires.
Ms Carey also criticised politicians, specifically Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett and Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller, for doing “absolutely nothing” to deal with the matter and for not educating the Bahamian public about the potential hazards of smoke inhalation.
Ms Carey’s comments came a week after constituencies surrounding the New Providence landfill were blanketed in smoke after a massive fire broke out at the Harrold Road site, the second fire in a week at that time.
The smoke from the blaze caused some residents in Jubilee Gardens and Victoria Gardens to “pack up and leave in the middle of the night,” according to Mr Miller.
Two schools – Aquinas College and the Meridian School – were reportedly forced to close early because of the “thick smoke” in the area. Although on a lesser scale, the smoke also affected residents of nearby Sunset Park and Flamingo Gardens.
“I have been struggling for the last five days where the smoke has been in my house,” Ms Carey told The Tribune yesterday. “I feel the same pain as the people in Jubilee (Gardens) because all of the clothes in my closet were full of smoke. I slept with some of my windows open and I woke up choking. I have major asthma problems, I’m sucking on my inhaler, my eyes are watering, and I am as sick as the people in Jubilee.
“For that reason I am working on leaving the country within the next year, as I have friends who have already left because of this issue with the dump, and I have others who live in the west who are now looking at leaving the country because they don’t feel that there’s any hope from any political party to deal with this issue.”
Ms Carey also criticised Mr Dorsett, Mr Miller and other politicians for showing their “absolute disregard” for the “health of their constituencies and all of The Bahamas.”
“Nobody is speaking up on it,” she said. “There is nobody from any party who is coming out publicly with concrete ideas. It’s one thing to stand there like a lot of them and complain about it, but nobody is formulating a plan, nobody is coming up with anything specific to give anybody hope.”
She added: “And I believe this is why a lot of the residents don’t understand how hazardous this is to them, because their own representatives are doing absolutely nothing to educate them and to help them.”
Yesterday a male resident of Jubilee Gardens for almost 10 years, who wished to remain anonymous, called the situation “annoying” and said he feels that not enough is being done to “really resolve the issue”.
“You can only hope and pray that the wind shifts, but you know even if the wind shifts you know that some of your other neighbours are being affected, so it’s a bad situation all around,” he added.
“It is very frustrating straight through, and every time the fire started they always saying it’s an arsonist or whatever the case may be. But regardless of what causes the fire to start, it doesn’t make you feel any better, because the way it’s affecting you, financially, your family, your neighbours, it is a bad situation and it just continues to get worse.”
Another resident of nearby Sunset Park, who also wished to remain anonymous, called the recurrent fires a “disgrace.”
“At this point, the feeling is one of frustration and disappointment in how this has been dealt with by all governments, in particular this one, to the point where the only thing that has changed with regards to it is they have changed management (of the landfill),” he said. “But the results are the same, if not even worse.”
City dump fires have been a recurrent problem for years.
Renew Bahamas was engaged by the government in 2014 to manage the landfill and help address the matter.
Last night, Renew Bahamas officials said they have completed smoke suppressions efforts following a series of fires on and around the tipping floor of the Harrold Road Landfill.
“All areas have been covered with fill and a team will remain on duty overnight while water is still used to drench certain areas. In addition, the company will continue to monitor the entire site for smoke pockets that open up after it was filled, as some holes did open up again yesterday, after it was covered.
“Assistance from the government has been requested by means of protection from future arson attempts,” the company said.
Comments
banker 8 years, 8 months ago
I too have made the decision to quit the country at the end of the month - although not because of the dump -- because we Bahamians are incapable of controlling themselves and properly running a country. I have applied for and won a permanent job abroad and will be applying for citizenship there at the earliest possible time as soon as I am qualified to do so. My comments on this site will be very infrequent, if at all.
In Dante's Divine Comedy, the gate of Hell bears an inscription ending with the famous phrase "Abandon all hope, ye who enter." There is no hope left in the Bahamaland.
newcitizen 8 years, 8 months ago
Let the exodus begin. This whole place has to burn to the ground before we will ever see anything get better.
Sickened 8 years, 8 months ago
There is absolutely no hope of a bright future here in The Bahamas. After every murder, every dump fire, every political scandal and every D average graduate, more and more Bahamians leave this country as the light of a bright future fades. The Bahamians that have long term goals, dreams and aspirations are all looking to other countries for their future. There is only ONE person in my circle of friends that is not planning to leave the country (their home) in the next 2 years. This is a very sad fact. On the bright side though, after we all leave our jobs, and migrate elsewhere, there will be room for others to take our place and earn great salaries.
P.S. But don't apply if you have a D average - the job for you is 'Fire Warden at the dump'. Make sure you negotiate for a mask though 'cause I hear they don't supply them.
Honestman 8 years, 8 months ago
Good luck with your new venture banker, your comments have always been sensible and have been the perfect antidote for the PLP trolls that populate these blogs. I suspect that many will be following your lead before too long and exiting these shores for good. Such a shame. Bahamas could have been another Singapore had Pindling swapped notes with his peer Lee Kwon Yew. LKY understood the importance of having a zero tolerance towards corruption and the critical importance of teaching young people about honesty, respect and improving their general education. Singapore is reaping the rewards today. What do we have? We have a political elite that pillages the Nation's wealth, promotes a growing mass of feral and uneducated youth, allows violent crime to spiral out of control and leaves a huge White Elephant on Cable Beach as a monument to its greed and duplicity. Our politicians have no vision and no integrity. Our tribal approach to politics is primitive and can never lead to long term success. You are well out of it Banker.
Observer 8 years, 8 months ago
Now this is extreme. She might consider another island of the Bahamas. We will welcome your return, Banker. Happy for you to have won employment abroad. Many young Bahamians do. Best wishes and hope that your stay in the newly found country will never be affected by corruption in politics. By the way, politics is corrupt because many of the people who are served by politicians are corrupt too.
John 8 years, 8 months ago
Get a life
newcitizen 8 years, 8 months ago
Get an education! Being ignorant is not nearly as cool as you think it is.
newcitizen 8 years, 8 months ago
Why would she consider another island? The government has shown that they do not care about the health of the people living here. It's not just having to deal with smoke, it's living with a leadership that has no interest in the wellbeing of the country.
Mmantle7 8 years, 8 months ago
Take a Core Sample at the Water Table Level and test the water iby making Kool Aide for all that says ALL IS WELL and FINE.
avidreader 8 years, 8 months ago
In Italian Dante wrote "Lasciate ogni speranza o voi que entrate" but let us recall that many Bahamians came back home after the PLP won the government in 1967. Before that time most
worthwhile positions were reserved for members of elite families and colonial officials. Today if a Bahamian decides to leave his or her home I trust that they will find some utopia where they don't have to pay exorbitant VAT or GST and income taxes, ride a subway train to and from work, learn a new language, pay for home heating in the winter and duck around districts teeming with immigrants waiting to behead them in the street as they pass by. It sure isn't perfect here in our little country and least of all on sad, overpopulated New Providence Island, but you had better hope that you can do a whole lot better somewhere else before cutting all your ties.
EnoughIsEnough 8 years, 8 months ago
i'm guessing you have not lived much abroad. I myself have lived in 4 different US states, 2 european countries, and have spent most of my life travelling - not w/end trips to miami to shop but 3 weeks to 4 months in other countries. your fear of tax is ridiculous - you pay tax here in the Bahamas and get little to nothing for it. other countries have better education, better health, good roads, excellent public transporation, police forces that work, transparency, accountability, etc... you might earn a little less, pay taxes BUT the cost of living and quality of life are much improved. The Bahamas is the 2nd most expensive place to live in the world - and for what? toxic air, corrupt govt, D average education, high unemployment, one of the highest cancer rates and murder rates in the world, an apathetic people who refuse to stand up and challenge the system and to make people accountable for their actions. we litter our beaches, pollute our seas, throw trash on the side of the roads. Yes, our water and our beaches are some of the most beautiful in the world but what else do we truly have to offer? You act like there is something wrong with riding a train to work, or taking a bus - really? You act like you don't have taxes - VAT, soon to be NHI, NIB, customs duty, 15% mandatory gratuity - really??? Get a grip - there are thousands of places in the world much better to live than on this failing rock. The Bahamas could and should be an amazing place to live, it is not, and it fails more and more each day. I blame the people, not the government.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 8 months ago
Why don't all yall suffering souls in Nassau just go back and find your true island roots and get the hell out of Nassau ??????? .............. there is lots of space on the Family Islands
EnoughIsEnough 8 years, 8 months ago
because the out islands still suffer from the same corrupt, incompetent government. many people are leaving the Bahamas because they see little hope for change, progress or improvement. Many are leaving for the same reason as Banker. We are a failing country and the Bahamian people continue to stand by and watch it collapse.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 8 months ago
LOSER
newcitizen 8 years, 8 months ago
I see you're adding so much to the discussion.
Economist 8 years, 8 months ago
Banker, I wish you every success.
I don't blame you as I know many others who wish they could do the same. We will all miss your valuable contributions.
It is very sad that our country, which could be a paradise, has been led by successive irresponsible governments to the depths that we experience today.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 8 months ago
LOSER 2.0
newcitizen 8 years, 8 months ago
If you have an actual argument, I'm sure we would all love to here it. Sadly the only retorts you are able to come up with are hollow insults.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 8 months ago
My position is simple ......... do not give up on your country and leave for another country ....... that is a "loser" mentality
newcitizen 8 years, 8 months ago
Fair enough. That's a legitimate stance to take and thanks for the response.
SP 8 years, 8 months ago
............ What happened, PLP die hards finding actually dying hard unpalatable? ...........
John 8 years, 8 months ago
The clear reality is the dump has to be relocated. Dumps are normally placed outside the city limits. The Harold Road dump is almost in the heart of New Providence and so it affects everyone when it is on fire and not properly managed. Why should a whole population suffer . relockbthe dump and take the empty ikaliki bottles
themessenger 8 years, 8 months ago
The Harold road dump has been there for a long time in an area that at the time was sparsely populated.It was a brilliant idea of our government to build a low cost housing subdivision right next to it and a conscious decision of the people who bought into it to live there. Can't think of a single location left in Nassau where it could be relocated, we need to think of other more modern method of waste disposal. We did at one time in fact have a solid waste processing plant located at the Harold road dump but like all other things run by we guvment it was allowed to wither and decay and finally die when the furriners running it departed.
avidreader 8 years, 8 months ago
With reference to a few of the comments related to this article in which a suggestion has been made that Bahamians dissatisfied with conditions on New Providence relocate to a Family Island, I should like to say that conditions in most Family Island settlements are not what one might expect and hope for. Unemployment is a serious problem in most places and infrastructure is generally not up to an acceptable standard. Education is substandard for the most part and, while there are notable exceptions, the work ethic leaves something to be desired. The scattered nature of our islands makes homogeneous development very difficult to achieve added to which you have the additional complications of increased freight charges for many supplies as well as uncertainty related to shipping schedules. Also, in many places in the Family Islands there are a number of foreign elements exerting what could be called "undue influence" which can lead to friction with the local community.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 8 months ago
LOSER 3.0
avidreader 8 years, 8 months ago
In response to "EnoughisEnough" I can only say that, as the Egyptian said to the Englishman, "Truly, fendi, it is a matter of taste". To each his own but if we all run away then who is to provide a remedy to the outstanding problems? By the way, I too have lived abroad, speak more than one language and am well versed in history. For these reasons I am more reluctant than some to jump from the frying pan into the fire. But, as stated previously, to each his own. We all have family members who live in other countries and I have nothing against that but all of us can't leave and surrender the country to the less desirable elements without some hope of change, however gradual. Many times I have suggested that the dissatisfied younger generation form a political party to make an attempt at reform but with the proviso that such projects take significant lengths of time. Keep in mind that these existing parties, for the most part, have been in existence for decades and have formed considerable organizational sophistication. This is true in many countries. As for corruption, just look at what is happening in Brazil with former president Lula.
EnoughIsEnough 8 years, 8 months ago
yes, let's look at Brazil - where millions of the people are marching and demanding the removal of the corrupt government. is that happening here? no. i don't think anyone is saying that corruption and the other issues don't exist. the point is, other civilized countries have methods of dealing with these issues, there is transparency, there is accountability. huge difference.
newcitizen 8 years, 8 months ago
In no imagined situation are we "in the frying pan" and the rest of the world is "the fire".
bahamalove 8 years, 8 months ago
The problem with a lot of us Bahamians, like most humans, is that in the beginning we all start out altruistic, wanting to do the right thing and live honestly. But most times, somewhere down the line we become greedy, corrupt and dishonest. Our politicians are a direct reflection of our society. If many of us had gotten into positions of power, we would end up doing the same thing as our current politicians. So in order to start solving the problems we have as a nation, we need to look in the mirror first and start adjusting our own lives. Stop lying, sweet-hearting, fudging your Customs forms, littering, swearing, cussing, praising God on Saturday or Sunday then sinning the rest of the week, worshipping politicians, and stuffing ourselves with greasy, fatty food. Only when we can become better citizens ourselves, then we can demand the same of others.
SP 8 years, 8 months ago
Only sensible "start" is to rid ourselves of those that created this mess. The PLP & FNM!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 8 months ago
TO THE COMMENTATORS ABOVE Can you please name a viable alternative PM not smeared with SLOP corruption in their political genes?????????????? ........... or should we revolt against mainstream party politics and nominate a slate of Independents for 2017????????
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