The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

THE government suspects that oil found on Adelaide Beach last week was dumped from a passing ship and not a leak from the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, Aviation and Transport Minister Glenys Hanna Martin told the House of Assembly.

“The oil emission is very likely or is thought to be the emissions from a vessel that was in the shipping lane that decided to discharge bilge into our beautiful waters,” she said on Wednesday night.

“It’s a matter that’s under investigation. We’re hoping to track the vessel if that is indeed the case, but the issue of Clifton Pier in general is an issue of concern, but I just wanted to clarify that particular issue which got a significant amount of media exposure.”

Residents of Adelaide said they found oil on the beach last Thursday. They said they noticed “smelly black oil” washing up on beaches some “two miles” from BEC’s Clifton Pier plant.

Last week, an official at Stuart Cove’s claimed that “black crude oil”, believed to be coming from the BEC plant, was hindering their diving operations.

The issue prompted Deputy Leader of the Democratic National Alliance Chris Mortimer to criticise the government. In a statement released this week, he demanded that more be done to “preserve and properly manage” environmental resources throughout the Bahamas.

He claimed that successive governments have taken a “reactionary position” permitting the continuous “distraction and misappropriation” of the country’s environmental resources.

Mr Mortimer claimed that efforts by the government are not enough.

“Our country’s geographic location and its archipelagic makeup give the Bahamas a unique advantage over many other countries in the region,” he said. “A responsible government – a DNA government – would work not only to protect the delicate ecosystems which exist, but also enable Bahamians to become owners in an economy driven by environmental responsibility.”

The DNA deputy leader said such incidents as the oil pollution at Adelaide Beach are not new and asserted that it would not be the last. He added that both BEC and the government have been told by environmentalists that the Clifton plant could be hazardous to surrounding marine resources.