The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Environmental efforts by Government are a failure so far.

We speak a big game when speaking at these world forums about the effects of global warming on tiny island states such as the Bahamas. We speak about the effects of hurricanes on our islands and the economic impact to our economy.

However, the only major environmental change we have made recently is the ban of plastic grocery bags in our stores and use of reusable shopping bags. Secondly, the creation of New Providence’s Ecology Park, formerly known as the city dump, was a great achievement, done under the previous administration. Sometimes believing in Bahamians is your best bet, and the collective association of money manager, Providence Advisors and Waste Resource Development Group made a significant impact on the future of recycling.

Outside of this, we have not enacted or enforced any clean air standards. Pollution by diesel, gas and vehicles in need of service is rampant. The non-enforcement of littering laws and the lack of garbage receptacles in public spaces is the norm and not the exception. The inability to have consistent public workers cleaning our beaches, thoroughfare, parks, continue to be a challenge.

We missed an opportunity with the creation of New Providence Ecology Park, as a momentum to implement a recycling programme in Nassau. At a minimum we should have been able to separate bottles and cans, paper and cardboard from general garbage. This would have energised the efforts of New Providence Ecology Park.

Unfortunately, we have sold out to contracts for cronies who sometimes are ill equipped to do the job at hand. I must give kudos to the gentleman who picks up the trash from Cable Beach Manor Beach in the morning. He does an excellent job and only needs assistance from the Government in deploying standardized public garbage bins.

A ministry as important as the environment seems to always be second class which is so sad in a tiny island state where environmental matters should always be first.

BA Sweeting

Nassau,

August 31, 2023.