The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FIRE Services Chief Walter Evans yesterday praised the Berry Islands community of Great Harbour Cay for extinguishing a massive bush fire that ripped through 200 acres of land last week.

Speaking to The Tribune, he said: “The community responded very well given the resources they had, ensuring that the fire didn’t spread since it was a very large fire.”

Mr Evans said there are likely to be more bush fires throughout the country this year. “Because of that fire, it is likely there might be other areas throughout the country that will suffer,” he said, adding that the Fire Services department took resources to the Berry Islands to help extinguish the fire on Friday.

Mr Evans’ statements comes a day after opposition leader Dr Hubert Minnis told The Tribune that the massive fire burned for three days before government officials “even noticed or sent help”.

Dr Minnis, who visited the island on Friday, said the MP for Berry Islands, Dr Perry Gomez, only “bothered” to visit the Berry Islands after learning of Dr Minnis’ visit.

“The fire was raging near people’s homes and the government never even uttered a statement or showed any concern,” he said.

“I do not know what would have happened to those persons if they did not fight the fire themselves. Shortly after I got there, I got a call that Dr Gomez would be there on a 2:30pm flight. When he did arrive, after the fire was already out, he came with ZNS and a camera crew. He came to grandstand.”

Dr Gomez released a statement on the fire yesterday.

He said: “The Berry Islands reported a major fire on the island early morning of Tuesday, April 1. The community on the island mobilised and used its limited water resources, but were unable to contain the fire. Consequently, on Wednesday, April 2, the Chief of Fire Department, Walter Evans and two officers arrived on the island and worked tirelessly with the community to bring the fire under control.

“The community has requested its representatives to provide two additional water trucks and water pumps in order to provide continuous water management of fires. The Government of the Bahamas will review a proposal to identify appropriate land for the establishment of a government complex to include health facilities on Great Harbour Cay, that is privately owned.”