The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A CONTRACT worth $80,000 was awarded yesterday for the clean-up and removal of massive debris from the temporary dumpsite in West End.

Minister of State for Grand Bahama Senator Kwasi Thompson, Minister of the Environment and Housing Romauld Ferriera and Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe, MP for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, made the announcement at the Office of the Prime Minister.

West End contractor Ian Bowe, of Bowe’s Heavy Equipment and Trucking, was awarded a contract of $81,500, inclusive of VAT, to clean up the one-acre dumpsite on Bayshore Road.

Work is expected to start immediately on the removal of over 260 tons of debris and solid waste deposited at the site after Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

Mr Thompson said the government received a number of bids from contractors, and had assistance from the Ministry of Works, which performed the scope of works and assessed the bids.

“The current West End dumpsite was set in place as a temporary stop-gap measure for the depositing of debris and solid waste that remained after Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Throughout the years, the site has become an eyesore and an environmental health issue for residents and visitors of the West End community,” he said.

Due to persistent representation from MP Parker-Edgecombe and the island administrator, Mr Thompson said OPM, along with Ministry of Environment and Housing, decided to pool their resources to address the “unsightly” location.

“It is our intention to keep the site clean and limit the amount of waste that is deposited until a more permanent transfer site can be established,” he said.

Mr Ferreira said the clean-up of the dumpsite is part of the second phase of the “Be a Hero” clean-up campaign that was launched in Grand Bahama, in February. The campaign was officially launched in the nation’s capital last year encouraging young people to take pride in their environment and initiate clean-up projects.

Mr Ferreira said the second phase of the campaign involves reaching out to communities and associations, church and civic groups.

In terms of cleaning up the dump site, Mr Ferreira said officials want to make a meaningful contribution in the lives of the people who live in West End and have to pass the site everyday.

“They deserve a clean environment just as everyone else,” he said. “We make this appeal now that we are going into the second phase of the ‘Be a Hero’ campaign and persons can reach out to us at the Ministry of Environment and Housing; we are here to serve you, and we look at this as an essential component of our work,” he said.

Mrs Parker-Edgecombe was pleased that the current dumpsite would finally be cleaned. She looks forward to a new transfer station being established in West Grand Bahama.

“We thank the OPM and (Ministry of Environment) for finally coming to our aid,” she said, adding that the dumpsite has been an ongoing concern of constituents since the Minnis administration was elected to office.