The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A GRAND Bahama civic group is calling for “swift intervention in the relocation and settlement of affairs of residents” in the Pinder’s Point and Lewis Yard communities following the rejection of an Environmental Health Risk Assessment report by two leading international authorities which they deemed “suspicious”.

Residents in the two communities have complained about the ongoing pollution from nearby industrial plants over the past three decades, and claimed that many people suffer from respiratory ailments and have died of cancer.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Perry Christie and Minister of Health Dr Perry Gomez, the Pinder’s Point, Lewis Yard Committee officially stated its rejection of the findings of a report by the Pan-American World Health Organisation (PAHO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), which conducted an independent environmental health risk assessment of Pinder’s Point, Lewis Yard and the surrounding areas.  

The report found that there are no environmental and health risks to residents living near the industrial plants.

“The Pinder’s Point, Lewis Yard Committee, speaking on behalf of all the residents living around the industrial plants in Grand Bahama, hereby advise that we as a united group reject the report that was produced by PAHO/WHO, and we are suspicious of the recommendations made by this report,” the committee wrote.

“We are made to understand that this report has been tabled in the House of Assembly by the Honorable Dr Michael Darville. It is a mystery to us why the Bahamas government has seemingly abandoned the residents of the industrial basin in GB, when it is an established fact that the residents have suffered, and are continuing to suffer because of the pollution by these industries, and most especially by the refinery now owned by Buckeye.”

In August, Minister for Grand Bahama Dr Darville, along with representatives from PAHO/WHO in Washington, met with residents of Pinder’s Point to reveal the findings of a year-long environmental health risk assessment conducted in the area from December 4, 2014, to November 30, 2015.

Two previous reports were concluded - by Mike Wallace in 2014 which indicated that there were no toxic chemicals in the air, and by Abigail Pedican, which indicated the same.

Dr Darville indicated that the government decided that it was necessary “to contract a world-renowned organisation to come to Grand Bahama and … to conduct a study that was free of contamination from the government and placed in the hand of an independent organisation”.

But residents did not accept the findings of the reports and expressed doubt in the findings.

In 1989, the Grand Bahama Catholic High School and Hawksbill Senior and Junior Schools were relocated from Hawksbill area due to ongoing pollution and emissions that were making students and teachers ill.

The government relocated the Lewis Yard Primary School last year to the St Vincent de Paul School campus in Hunters.  However, due to hurricane damage caused by Matthew the school was relocated temporarily to the Church Hall at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Pinder’s Point.

According to committee member, students and teachers were dismissed early from school. He believes that the dismissal was due to strong chemical odours in the area on November 1.

“When the Prime Minister and his entourage drove through the community to view hurricane damages recently residents say the odors were piping, very strong. He and his team sped through and did not stop,” said one of our committee members.

One member said that while the school was relocated to Hunters, student would leave school only to return home to “the same smelly community at the end of the day. “This is unconscionable,” the member said. 

In the letter, the committee stressed that the residents are tired of promises. 

“We assert that the evidence that there are significant health risks to the residents is an established fact, especially due to the closure and relocation of four schools over a 30-year period because of the pollution.

“We are therefore asking for the government’s swift intervention in the relocation and settlement of the affairs of the residents in a manner and fashion that is fair and satisfactory to the residents concerned. After years of promises the residents are no longer willing to listen to talk and are demanding results,” the committee said.