The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The New Providence landfill’s former manager yesterday blamed the Christie administration’s “failure to fully co-operate and plan” for its decision to cease operations, arguing that this had prevented “successful remediation” of the site.

Renew Bahamas said it had “encountered tremendous difficulties” in its relationship with the former government, which impacted efforts to attract additional financing and redesign the Tonique Williams Highway site.

It added that independent analysts confirmed it had invested in remediating the landfill to prevent further fires, while its management had resulted in “a culture change” that brought discipline and improved safety.

“In 2013, Renew Bahamas entered into an agreement with the Government of the Bahamas with the hopes of establishing a partnership that would have been beneficial for the environment and the quality of life of the people of New Providence, and would have provided a benefit for the Government,” the former landfill manager said yesterday.

“Based on the Government’s solemn promises, Renew fulfilled its commitments to invest millions into the venture, and created the foundation for a state-of-the-art waste management facility that would have been the pride of the Caribbean.”

Outlining its contractual commitments, Renew Bahamas added: “Renew had the obligation to reconstruct and remediate the landfill. Renew invested in that effort, as confirmed by the University of Florida landfill experts, but the Government never fulfilled its obligation to settle access rights Renew needed to obtain further financing. Nor would it meet with Renew to create an agreed design for the future landfill.

“In order to achieve continuity and a successful outcome, we needed a fluent working relationship, and constructive dialogue that effectively managed the emerging contract issues. Despite our efforts, that never happened.”

The ex-manager continued: “Renew encountered tremendous difficulties in engaging in consistent dialogue with the Government. The Government’s failure to fully co-operate and plan eventually made it extremely difficult for Renew to continue to manage the landfill efficiently.

“Finally, the recent damages to the landfill as a result of Hurricane Matthew made it impossible for Renew to continue without the full co-operation of the Government.”

Renew Bahamas’ media statement, breaking an almost 10-month silence, thus pinned responsibility for the premature end of its five-year management contract fully on the former Christie administration.

Tribune Business revealed in October 2016 that Renew Bahamas had “suspended its services” in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, after shootings, tyre slashings and widespread theft following the storm made operating conditions unsafe.

Michael Cox, Renew Bahamas chief executive, told Tribune Business at the time that these incidents, combined with the loss of electrical power in Matthew’s wake, had brought landfill operations - especially the revenue-generating recycling activities - to “a grinding halt”.

He also hit out at what he described as the Government’s “two-and-a-half year” failure to properly engage with Renew Bahamas, adding that the company’s request to the Government for post-Matthew financial support, and other assistance, had produced no response.

The former Christie administration, though, took “grave exception” to Mr Cox’s allegations that the Government had failed to properly support and engage with Renew Bahamas.

Kenred Dorsett, former minister of the environment and housing, accused Mr Cox of being “incredibly disingenuous”. He and the Government suggested that Renew Bahamas’ problems did not start with Matthew, as the company had already been seeking to renegotiate its management contract after incurring consistent, heavy losses.

The former Christie administration implied that Renew Bahamas had ‘used’ Matthew to walk away from its contract and the associated losses after it was unable to renegotiate terms to its satisfaction.

Renew Bahamas’ departure forced the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS) to resume management of the landfill, which again became the subject of controversy through the massive pre-election fire that created health and environmental hazards for residents in Jubilee Gardens and other nearby communities.

Tribune Business sources yesterday suggested that Renew Bahamas had never fully gone away, and that several of the company’s former executives had remained in the Bahamas to try and work through the remaining contractual issues with the Government.

However, the company did not reply to a detailed list of Tribune Business questions before press time last night. Many observers are likely to interpret the timing and content of Renew Bahamas’ release as being influenced by the Minnis administration’s election and the possibility that the landfill management contract will again be put out to tender via a new Request for Proposal (RFP).

Still, the company reiterated: “Renew supports the Bahamian people’s journey to better waste management, and it can only be done with an open partnership that includes all stakeholders.

“Renew issued this release in light of recent articles pertaining to the landfill, and to set the record straight that with the full co-operation of the Government the issues at the landfill would have been successfully remediated.”