The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune BusinessReporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The newly-appointed Minister of the Environment and Housing yesterday said tackling the New Providence landfill’s woes remains a major priority, acknowledging that he was in the process of “digesting everything” in his portfolio.

Speaking briefly with Tribune Business yesterday following the new administration’s first official Cabinet meeting, Romauld Ferriera said: “I’m still in the process of digesting everything. I feel really excited to be doing the people’s business, but I want to see what I’m looking at. It’s a lot of material to digest but I’m on it.”

He added: “As soon as I have I will be in full and open communication with the Bahamian people. Everything is a priority. Obviously the dump is a major priority. There’s nothing like the insider’s point of view.”

   His predecessor, Kenred Dorsett, previously confirmed to Tribune Business that two bids had been submitted for the New Providence landfill’s management and remediation.

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.

The former Christie government had 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.

Its 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. 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 following the recent blaze, especially since its remediation is one of the Government’s requirements.

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.