The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Two bids have been submitted for the New Providence landfill’s management and remediation, Tribune Business understands.

Kenred Dorsett, minister of the environment and housing, said yesterday: “I know that there are two bids. I’m awaiting for the official names. I haven’t gotten a formal notification on the matter as yet.”

Mr Dorsett added that he expects to receive a report today. The opening of the bids for the New Providence landfill’s management and remediation contract was held this past Friday.

One of the bidders is the Bahamian Waste Resources Development Group (WRDG) and its partner, Providence Advisors chief, Kenwood Kerr. The other is understood to be foreign, and possibly originate from south Florida.

As reported by Tribune Business on Monday, the Government has committed to resolving the New Providence landfill’s woes by year-end December 2017 as part of its Heads of Agreement with Baha Mar’s new owner.

The Christie administration’s April 25, 2017, Heads of Agreement with Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE)stipulates that any failure by the Government to resolve the landfill’s problems by that date will be treated as “a force majeure” event.

Private sector groups had been given eight days to submit bids to take over the New Providence landfill’s management and remediation.

The tight timeline for submitting bids, with interested parties effectively given six working days, was thought to favour Bahamian groups.

However, local waste management industry sources previously complained to Tribune Business that the bid deadlines gave too little time for interested parties to conduct proper due diligence on the New Providence landfill following the recent blaze, especially since its remediation is one of the Government’s requirements.

In its tender advertisement, the Government said:” “The Government is inviting proposals from the private sector relating to potential investment, remediation and management of operations of the Harrold Road [Tonique Williams Highway] landfill facility,” the advert states.

“The Government’s long-term waste management strategies include reforms which seek to introduce efficiencies in waste management at various facilities throughout the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”    

Renew Bahamas walked away from its New Providence landfill management contract in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, citing security and safety concerns amid the absence of electricity supply, and a spate of thefts and shootings.

It had previously been seeking to renegotiate its management contract and associated financial terms with the Christie administration, having revealed to Tribune Business it had been incurring continuous, heavy losses.

The Government subsequently charged that Renew Bahamas had used Hurricane Matthew as an excuse to pull-out, having realised that its business model - which depended almost exclusively on the sale and export of materials recycled from the landfill - was not viable or sustainable.