FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
CRITICISING the Christie administration yesterday and its handling of the Rubis fuel leak, Opposition Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said Progressive Liberal Party parliamentarians should learn what scripture says about the importance of being trustworthy.
Having attended a New Providence Community Church service yesterday, Dr Minnis quoted scripture, telling The Tribune: “I was at church this morning and it was very interesting, a segment that came out. (The bible) says how can the people call for help if they do not know who to trust?
“I say to the people, we must move this government so we could have a government who you can trust to ensure a better Bahamas in the future. Christie should’ve been in the church reading scripture. The PLP should have been in church reading scripture. Maybe the PLP needs to spend more time in church so they could hear the word of God.”
Determined not to let the Rubis issue die, Dr Minnis criticised Prime Minister Perry Christie for his silence on the matter while contrasting the government’s actions with the way he would’ve handled the matter if he were leader of the country.
“Bahamians are waking up every morning, regularly in total disbelief and hoping and wishing that they see a better Bahamans. Instead, they see things get worse,” he said. “They can’t believe this is a government that say they believe in Bahamians. It is a government that is acting totally undemocratically and showing total disrespect to the Bahamian people.”
A Black and Veatch International report released recently found that Marathon residents were possibly exposed to harmful chemicals, including cancer-causing benzene, after about 12,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline was leaked from the service station at Robinson and Old Trail Road in late 2012.
The government had the report for more than a year before it was made public late last month.
In the House of Assembly, Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins last week called for the formation of a committee to investigate the leak but 15 MPs present voted no, defeating his resolution.
Said Dr Minnis: “When the Rubis vote came in they voted no. Are they saying they agree with the toxic exposure of Bahamian people? They agree they see nothing wrong with the Bahamian people being exposed to the toxins? What the government should aggressively be doing is pushing to ensure Rubis puts aside millions and millions of dollars to protect the people. Yesterday those people’s homes were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Today the value of their homes has decreased.
“This is the Bahamas’ BP disaster and the international community should see what toxins Bahamian people are being exposed to and what long term health issues they are experiencing. Rubis, should they not establish an escrow account with millions of dollars to deal with health and infrastructural issues, needs to answer the question: what will become of those homes?
“A caring, responsible government would ensure that millions of dollars are set aside and we should ensure our environmental laws are improved to ensure this kind of mishap doesn’t happen again.”
As for Mr Christie’s silence in commenting on the matter, Dr Minnis said it shows he is in a “confused state.” He also said it shows the government does not see the matter and the health and financial implications it has for those affected as an important issue.
Yesterday the government released a statement on the Rubis issue, explaining its actions after the incident. The statement said the Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organisation will lead health-screening clinics for those in affected areas; the chief medical officer began meeting with affected households on May 3 and that health screenings will be complete by June 1.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 7 months ago
WORTH REPEATING: It is abundantly clear now by the Christie Administration's own admission that the government with the assistance of the Attorney General, Allyson Maynard-Gibson, wrongfully orchestrated a campaign to keep out of the public domain reports and information vital to the physical health, safety and financial well-being of families and individuals resident in Marathon Estates who live anywhere near the ground soil and ground water contaminated by the large leakage of fuel over an extended period of time. It seems the health issues at play here were very deliberately covered up by the Christie Administration and his Attorney General (Allyson Gibson-Maynard) for the purpose of wrongfully endeavouring to protect the financial interests of both Rubis and the Christie Administration, effectively putting those financial interests ahead of the physical health, safety and financial well-being of hundreds and hundreds of Bahamians. The underground fuel tanks of the gasoline station leaked, over many years, much more than the 12,000 gallons the Christie Administration and their non-independent hired experts (and Rubis and its conflicted hired experts) would have us believe. The damage has already been done by prolonged exposure to the proven cancer-causing agents; accordingly, health tests now will do little towards detecting and preventing the serious and/or fatal cancers that many exposed individuals will suffer from over many years to come. The Christie Administration's wrongful delay in this serious health matter affecting many Bahamians is made that more egregious by the fact that Rubis has in recent years been a major contributor of funds to events organised and endorsed by the PLP party and to the PLP party itself. The fact that Christie has not called for the resignation of his Attorney General tells all the extent to which collaboration was involved in suppressing the report and other information that should have long ago been made public. Don't expect the transparency promised on this matter going forward. After all, we still don't know the name of the former BEC director involved in the $350,000 bribery scandal; we also still don't know the 13 delinquent borrowers behind the $100 million in loans heaved on to the backs of Bahamian taxpayers by way of transfer from Bank of The Bahamas to Bahamas Resolve; we also still don't know the names of those Bahamians illegally holding the equivalent of many many millions of dollars in Swiss bank accounts; and you can add countless other things the Christie Administration has failed to expeditiously investigate and make their findings public in the public interest.
Reality_Check 9 years, 7 months ago
The Queen through our Governor-General (Mrs. Poodling, as you affectionately refer to her as) should be calling for the resignation of the Attorney General, Allyson Maynard-Gibson. But don't hold your breath for known tax dodgers to do the right thing!
Tommy77 9 years, 7 months ago
very well said.
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SP 9 years, 7 months ago
...................... One Thing We Do Know for Certain ......................
They have answered the prayers of diehard PLP's in Marathon Estates and affected areas by making it possible for them to "DIEHARD AS PLP's"
All diehard PLP's should be proud of their government and continue praying "they were born a PLP and will die a PLP".
The answer to their prayer may be closer than they think!
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 7 months ago
Yes, this is what I don't understand, how could some Marathon residents show up at the town hall meeting and cheer Minister Fitzgerald, thanking him for exposing them to cancer? It's odd.
duppyVAT 9 years, 7 months ago
Perry has been quiet on several major issues recently ........................ that tells us how deathly afraid he is to confront his AG aka the Nolle Queen................ Poor Perry, he is in a serious Catch22 right now .................... or more like up the creek without a paddle. This is a classic case of lousy political leadership that can ruin the weldare of a people and the reputation of a country
SP 9 years, 7 months ago
No one is foolish enough to believe PM & his AG are functioning independently.
TalRussell 9 years, 7 months ago
So it is written. And, the Comrade apostle Paul would remind da red shirts leader Minnis that, “Each of you should be concerned not only about your own political leadership interests, but the interests of all the out paychecks natives as well” (Phil. 1:4).
SP 9 years, 7 months ago
.............. Dr Hubert Minnis Is In The Scripture Reading and asking "Why" Mode ? ............
The good doctor can tell us "WHY" he has not been forthcoming with the revelation detailing what happened to the $5M his former Cabinet colleague and Minister of tourism made disappear through his shell company just prior to 2012 elections.
"TRUST" my backside.......Been there and done that with FNM before....NO TANKS MON!
Publius 9 years, 7 months ago
Irony of ironies. Leaving aside arguments about why Scripture was injected into this issue at all, this man does not even understand that he and elements of his Party are also part of the very problem he chose to highlight via this passage of Scripture!!! By and large, the people don't trust Christie (and they shouldn't) and they don't trust you either Mr. Minnis. That's why they are not flocking to you crying for your help to rescue the nation even though rescue is needed.
Stop this foolishness. Religion is divisive enough and is already used by the PLP to underpin their deception and control. Now the FNM's new leader is doing the same nonsense, steeped in gross hypocrisy doing so one might add, since he certainly cannot suddenly be trying to put himself or his Party forward as bastions of spirituality or morality. Keep the Rubis/government discussion on the level it belongs and leave feigned religiosity out of the discussion, as inserting it is ignorant and unnecessary.
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 7 months ago
The FNM party really needs to free itself of Minnis or face certain obliteration in the next general election.
Honestman 9 years, 7 months ago
I agree Minnis is not Prime Ministerial material however for the FNM to be obliterated at the next election would mean that Bahamians would have to forgive the PLP for practically destroying The Bahamas during their tenure. I don't believe the people would be so stupid. Even with Minnis at the helm the country would be better off - we are on the road to hell with the PLP.
akbar 9 years, 7 months ago
Cable Bahamas one of the first affected also seems to be awfully quiet!
SP 9 years, 7 months ago
Good observation. Even more deafening is the silence left by the absence of investigative media. One would think Cable Bahamas would be questioned at length about the circumstances leading to their move and subsequent Rubis lawsuit.
TalRussell 9 years, 7 months ago
Comrades woulds it not be fair commentary to accuse red shirts leader Minnis of his own share of self-failures, like how many times can Marsh Harbour's Edision and Long Island's Loretta, shun voting alongside with their red House MP's? Did Loretta have yet another one of her pre scheduled "suddenly" booked flights to Long Island? My, my how much Long Islander's must be seeing lots their MP in their island constituencies? At least Edision is not out there pretending not be self-politically motivated. You know what Loretta, you sure as hell don't hide it well.
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 7 months ago
Posted by Oberver2 and well worth repeating: "It is likely that all gas station storage tanks and the electricity company have leaked enormous amount of fuel and cancer causing agents into the Nassau water table for the last 75 years.
In the US these tanks need to be changed frequently and large fines are placed against companies that pollute the water table. Also, once pollution is found the water in that are is not used, sometimes for up to 30 years! There is no regulation here and the corrosive nature of salt water means that the gas tanks should have been changed more frequently than in the US.
As Bahamian public and private water companies extract water from the water table it maybe that these cancer causing agents have affected all Bahamians in Nassau.
Could this be the missing link/cause behind the extremely high levels of cancer in the Nassau? Also, the octane levels of the gas used is so low it could not be used in developed countries like the US as its fumes are poisonous and unfit to breathe. But we sell them here in the Bahamas. The energy/executive/prosecutorial/financial/legal cartel is untouchable and united to protect their financial interest at the expense of the entire population of the Bahamas.
Of course the powers that be will keep the Marathon/Rubis investigation narrowly focused to the Rubis/Marathon station, the investigation will be run by partial interest and be overtaken by the next drama which will be here soon than you think. The need to investigate the purity of our water and air supply for the entire Bahamas will be ignored.
This is a middle class issue and it doesn't resonate with the lower income classes who are the base support for the political establishment. So as we are horrified, the political elite are unphased as their base is secure. Give them their carnival, sports events, numbers, bars and churches, free medical clinics, poor education, menial jobs and subsidies and they are happy. Nevermind that the lower income class also have the highest levels of cancer and the least ability to go to private clinics for treatment.
My suggestion is that civil society embark upon a comprehensive testing of the water table and air throughout New Providence to see if it is safe. We the people need to do this as those persons who have a fiduciary duty to protect us are clearly derelict in their duties."
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 7 months ago
WELL WORTH REPEATING: Your big picture assessment of the situation is spot on. The oil & gas industry worldwide has a well known history of unconscionably seeking to get away with environmental poisoning in order to achieve greater profits at the expense of human lives. Ecuador is a text book example. The much higher incidence of certain types of cancers experienced by Bahamians living on New Providence Island is a statistical anomaly that many highly specialized oncology experts will tell you cannot be explained by poor diet alone. For decades gasoline service stages on New Providence Island operated without ever being required to replace their fuel holding tanks, during which time the tanks were very vulnerable to the corrosive effects of the high concentration of salt found in our ground soil. Shell, Texaco and Esso were laughing all the way to the bank as they forged political relationships with both the PLP and FNM governments that allowed them to get away with just about anything for the sake of higher profits. You don't have to look any further than Franky ("Snake") and Sharon Wilson to realize that these political relationships forged by the oil & gas industry are alive and well today, much to the detriment of the health and well-being of most Bahamians. Christie's relationship with the Wilson family is such that he will likely propose legislation that protects rather than punishes the oil & gas industry for the serious harm they have undoubtedly caused many thousands of Bahamians that have over the years lived anywhere near a gasoline station. For decades the oil & gas industry did "hush, hush" cost-benefit studies that supported and tolerated fuel tank leakages until such time that they became unprofitable thereby justifying the significant capital expenditure associated with their replacement. These are well documented facts!
Reality_Check 9 years, 7 months ago
And let's not forget that the Chairman of our Public Hospital Authority is none other than Frank Smith who happens to be the son-in-law of Franky Wilson, aka "Snake." How ironic, Snake poisoning us and Smith responsible for our primary health facility!
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