The Tribune

MORE than 13,000 cubic yards of debris were removed from the Bain and Grants Town community during the first two days of the government's Over-the-Hill clean-up campaign.

The campaign began on Friday and ramped up its operation on Saturday. Some of the work had to be completed on Sunday.

Officials from the Economic Development and Planning Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister, the Department of Environmental Health Services and The Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority - who combined their resources and assets to make the campaign happen - say the figure equates to the size of six full-length football fields.

"So far everyone has done an excellent job in making phase one of this initiative a success," Dr Nicola Virgill-Rolle, director of the Economic Development and Planning Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister said.

"(I) want to thank everybody who (has) been out here working - DEHS, Beaches and Parks Authority, all of the workers from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) who have really been executing a tremendous work in executing the first phase of this clean-up."

The bulk waste removal and management of the heavy equipment used was done through the Department of Environmental Health Services while employees of The Bahamas Public Beaches and Public Parks Authority took care of the manual work.

Kemi Jones, project manager for the Over-the-Hill Community Development Partnership Initiative, said the focus of phase one of the clean-up focused on the areas north of Meadow Street, and north of Ross and Gibbs Corners. Officials will focus on the areas next weekend, going back to areas south of Meadow Street and Ross and Gibbs Corners, as far south as Wulff Road and Poinciana Drive the weekend of January 26-28 during phase two.

"It's a massive area, but we are working hard and doing our best to impact as many lives as possible and get it done correctly," Mr Jones said. "One of the six pillars of the Over-the- Hill Community Development Partnership Initiative talks about rejuvenation, so this clean-up effort is focusing specifically on getting the trash, bulk waste and derelict vehicles out of the area and then once we have done that, in February residents will witness the launch of our painting programme where we are actually trying to put a new face on the entire community."