The Tribune

By Riel Major

Tribune Staff Reporter

rmajor@tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS of Millennium Gardens have complained about mounds of unsightly trash left indiscriminately in their area and are calling on the government to intervene to remove the “eyesores” from the area.  

The Tribune canvassed the Millennium Gardens area yesterday and spoke to numerous disgruntled residents.

Jason Fitzgerald, president of the Millennium Gardens Association, said illegal dumping has been an issue for the area’s constituents since the Christie administration was last in office.

Mr Fitzgerald said: “The government should have cleaned it up from maybe three or four days after (Hurricane Matthew); it’s almost been three years. We have been trying and trying but for some reason it just can’t seem to be resolved.

“People were given permission I understand to dump there during the (last) hurricane because the dump was overcrowded. From that happening everyone kept using it as a dump site. It’s an eyesore for our community and it is creating a problem with rodents and everything else.”

He added: “It’s deplorable and that portion of Millennium Gardens is supposed to be... for other residential homes but now being used for a dump site.”

Jamaal Bethel, a resident, said he thinks the government should put in place a cleaning programme.

Mr Bethel, pictured right, said: “I don’t agree with (illegal dumping) because it is causing rodent infestation and that’s a problem for the community. We could get different diseases from rats. The neighbourhood looks appalling, it doesn’t look nice, it brings the neighbourhood down. It’s an eyesore.

“I think the government need to deal with. The public will say they need to stop…you know how Bahamian people go. They talk under their breath and turn their back to the issue. They complain about it and they don’t even know their power because the people are the country.”

One resident, who only wanted to be identified as Mr Johnson, told The Tribune people who are caught dumping illegally should be fined or face some kind of penalty.

Mr Johnson said: “It irritates me when I pass that way and see the (trash). I thought they would have done clear it up, but it should be a fine for people dumping. “From the hurricane, they used that (area) for dumping but no one ever came and cleared it up. Seeing that the government allowed people to put it there I think the government should deal with it. The community didn’t allow them to put their trash there, that’s something the government did. I feel like it’s only fitting that the government deal with this situation.”

Another resident, who preferred to be unnamed, suggested the government block that area to prevent illegal dumping.

“I don’t know why they do it because the (landfill) is right over there. You can take time to drive here not too far from the dump when you can go there and dump. (Dumping) does make the community look bad and it makes the highway look bad. 

“It is a nice quite community, but we do have problems with the rats. I’m always putting rat poison over my fence so I feel like the government should block it off, so people won’t be able to get in to dump.”

Despite calls from many for the government to get rid of the debris, one female resident said the community should come together and clean up the area. She said: “We live here, and we need to take pride in where we live. The people need to come take care of the community, not the government because it’s us who live here. 

“In my opinion, it brings the area down, it makes it look as if the people in the community aren’t taking care of the community. It’s not us, it’s persons outside of the community which basically are doing the dumping.”

Attempts to reach officials from the Department of Environmental Health for comment yesterday were unsuccessful up to press time.