The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney on Friday slammed the Christie administration for its silence on management of the New Providence landfill in the short to medium-term, as he suggested that the government is likely using a resolution to the landfill's management woes as an election gimmick. 

Mr McCartney told The Tribune that the only time the government will address the matter is on the campaign trail.

Nonetheless, Mr McCartney, who has long been a vocal critic of the current state of affairs at the Harrold Road site, particularly its controversial fires, lamented that it has been "four and a half years and we're still in the same position as we were prior to them coming into office regarding that dump". 

Mr McCartney's comments came almost one month after Renew Bahamas, the company engaged by the government to manage the Harrold Road site in 2014, confirmed that it had suspended its services as the New Providence landfill manager, after shootings, tyre slashing and widespread theft in Hurricane Matthew's aftermath made operating conditions unsafe.

Michael Cox, Renew Bahamas' CEO, confirmed to Tribune Business that Renew Bahamas had exercised the 'force majeure' clause in its contract, adding at the time that it was uncertain whether the company would return. Nonetheless, Mr Cox hit out at what he described as the government's "two-and-a-half-year" failure to properly engaged with Renew Bahamas. 

He added that the company's request to the government for post-Matthew financial support, and other assistance, had yet to result in a meeting, and suggested this indicated it wanted Renew Bahamas' contract to die. 

The Ministry of the Environment and Housing, in a statement, responded by ultimately stating that in light of "all of the challenges facing the New Providence landfill, the ministry recommended "the full takeover of operations at the landfill by the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS)". 

The DEHS would have assumed that role on October 17, according to the statement, with the department to continue in that capacity until November 1. 

Almost one month after Renew Bahamas' suspension of its managerial services at the landfill, and 18 days past the November 1 deadline, however, Mr McCartney hit out at the government for not yet publicly addressing the matter.

"The government will continue to be quiet which they have been over the last four and a half years on the landfill, just as they have been quiet on where our VAT money has gone, just like they have been quiet as to the deal regarding Baha Mar, just like they've been quiet with regards to their governance of this country," he said.

"I don't expect to hear anything from them because they're not going to do anything. Nothing's going to happen. And that's typical PLP style. The only time you will hear them talk about it, is gearing up to election to say what they're going to do or what they're want to do in their next term. But they can forget about that next term, that next term ain't there for them. 

"So I don't expect nothing from (Environment and Housing Minister) Ken Dorsett, don't expect nothing from the Prime Minister, I only expect to hear what we heard last year from the (DEHS) when that dump started to burn, that we must close our windows. That's the only thing I expect them to say. Because that dump (is going to) start burning again." 

He added: "They (the government) have no answers to give us, like they have no answers on everything else. They talk more foolishness than you could shake a stick at. They're good at talking but they have no answers. And they cannot execute. It's four and a half years and we're still in the same position as we were prior to them coming into office regarding that dump."

Renew Bahamas had earlier this year sought to engage the government in negotiations over revisions to its five-year management contract, having argued that its business model was unsustainable and had produced "millions of dollars" in losses.

In response, the Christie administration appointed the Kikivarakis & Co accounting firm to analyse Renew Bahamas' financials, and determine whether its request was justified.

However, there were indicators then that the government was seeking a 'Plan B' option as an alternative to Renew Bahamas, as it had approached a Bahamian consortium over landfill-related proposals.

The Waste Resources Development Group (WRDG) is understood to have expanded beyond its original four members - Wastenot, Bahamas Waste, Impac and United Sanitation - to now include a total of 10 fully Bahamian-owned companies.