The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL residents said they are planning to take legal action against the government and “whatever parties necessary” as a result of the recurrent fires at the New Providence landfill, FNM officials said yesterday.

Donald Saunders, an attorney and FNM candidate for Tall Pines, said his office is currently working with several persons seeking to bring action against the Christie administration and “any other party that may be responsible” for the fires that have plagued the Harrold Road dumpsite.

Mr Saunders’ statements came during a protest at the main entrance of the New Providence landfill. The protest consisted of about a dozen people – residents of areas affected by the smoke and FNM supporters, including FNM candidate for Southern Shores Frankie Campbell.

This comes after three separate fires at the landfill in three weeks, the latest of which occurred late Sunday night. The next day, plumes of black smoke were seen wafting over the area, blanketing nearby areas,

Residents have expressed their frustration to The Tribune about the frequent fires, with one contemplating leaving the country within the next year to avoid struggling with major health issues brought on as a result of heavy smoke in west New Providence.

“I’ve had several persons call my office, and we’re working with several persons right now to bring action against the government and whatever parties necessary in order to bring resolution to these people,” Mr Saunders said yesterday.

“We have already spoken to at least four persons, who have spoken to us about bringing action against the government of the Bahamas and any other party that may be responsible, and we are to this day getting statements from them, and we’re going to be following up on it. It is a breach of their fundamental rights. You cannot take that away from the government. They have a responsibility.

“And all we’re saying to them is, step up to the plate, we don’t want to hear anything else, we want to see you all out here like we’re out here dealing with this issue and dealing with it right away, because if we have to go to the courts, then we (will) just have to go to the courts.”

Mr Campbell meanwhile, suggested that persons who live in areas surrounding the dump are being “tortured” from the frequent fires and subsequent plumes of smoke, which he said is a breach of their constitutional rights.

He subsequently offered three “permanent” solutions for the fires, which he said includes the hiring of sufficient security personnel to thwart potential arson attacks, and ensuring that “tyres and other toxic chemicals” are taken out of the country before a fire breaks out. Collin Ingraham, a resident of nearby Stapledon Gardens who was present as yesterday’s protest, said the fires are a “serious issue that must be addressed.”

“There are many persons who have children in the area who have asthma and other respiratory issues that this is exasperating,” he said. “It is a serious challenge. And for many persons, especially in this immediate area here in Stapledon, this is the number one complaint, the dump, and how it’s affecting life, and how it’s affecting health, and persons having spent so much money going to the doctor for these issues.”

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.