The Tribune

By Denise Maycock

THE Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahama expects to release the final report of a safety risk assessment of communities near the industrial park this week, but a local activist says the report does not adequately address safety issues of the residents.

Activist Shuffel Hepburn Sr said of the 3,000 residents in the affected communities, the report recommends the relocation of only one percent of the people.

The Antea Group of The Netherlands conducted an independent safety risk assessment of the area last year.

Last week, Senator Kwasi Thompson, minister of state for Grand Bahama, said the government had received a final report from Antea  and that it was under review. He indicated the government had allowed those who had expressed concerns about the report to meet with the Antea to voice their concerns before the submission of the final report.

Mr Thompson indicated the copies of the final report would be presented to all relevant stakeholders, the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS), the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA), the industrial plants and the Grand Bahama Environmental Association (GBEA).

A representative of GBEA informed The Tribune the organisation has been invited to attend a meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister set for yesterday for the presentation of the final copy of the safety risk assessment.

Mr Hepburn, who rejects the findings of the study, issued a statement on Sunday giving his views of the report.

“It (the report) is not concerned with the everyday safety issue of residents living around the plants,” he stated. “I am concerned that the study has marked out a buffer zone around the areas surrounding the homes and declares that a mere total of six homes are in the dangerous buffer zone.”

Mr Hepburn said the study indicates the six homes are the only residences that are too close to Buckeye plant.

“There are less than 30 persons inclusive of adults and children who live in these homes presently. The study calls for only these homes to be relocated. This amount represents a mere one percent of the 3,026 persons now living in the Industrial Park,” he said.

“The government moved thousands of teachers and students (from nearby schools) but only wants to move 30 residents to safety. This is a far cry from the actual needs of the communities. The GBEA has been calling for the relocation of the communities for years,” he said.

Mr Hepburn stated it is one of the main reasons why he disapproves of the safety assessment study initially commissioned by Dr Michael Darville, former Progressive Liberal Party minister for Grand Bahama.

“It is not the right study, and it seeks only to embolden the industry’s case,” Mr Hepburn claimed.

The GBEA has written a letter of complaint to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis expressing its concerns “that the government has no plan of its own, and is only carrying forth the misguided and devious plan of the former government.”