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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 For the past many years, the communities regularly blanketed by thick black smoke accompanied by the smell of noxious fumes emanating from the New Providence landfill have received no definitive response from this government regarding its plans to address long standing issues at that site. For years, successive governments have continued to ignore local and international research which has proven that the burning of waste at landfills produces air toxins such as carbon monoxide (CO) and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen as well as liberate metals including antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, phosphorus and titanium. These toxins have been linked to respiratory issues, heartbeat irregularities and irritation to eyes nose and throat in the short term as well as liver disease, kidney disease and even cancer in the long term. After years of waiting, watching, agitating and hoping however, Bahamians have been met with inaction and most recently accusations of being unpatriotic.
This PLP administration would have us believe that the issues at the NP landfill are beyond their control, that they lack the resources and funding to adequately address the problem in a way that could bring about real relief to residents in and around the area however that is ABSOLUTELY FALSE!
Between 1994 and 1999 the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved 4 separate grants to fund four solid waste management efforts in this country. $750,000 was awarded in 1994 for feasibility studies to be conducted locally. Just three years later, another $900,000 dollars was given to the government to fund a solid waste management project and other feasibility studies. In 1999, a total of 23.5 million dollars was awarded to the government by the IDB together with 10 million dollars of our money to fund waste management exercises which would include the construction of two waste facilities here in the New Providence and up to 18 such sites throughout the family islands. According to that agreement, funds were also to be earmarked for hazardous waste disposal facilities as well as institutional and administrative training and public education campaigns designed to ensure the viability and sustainability of those projects.
These plans, if executed at that time, could have provided real and sustained relief to thousands of families currently impacted by persistent fires at the city dump. In fact, such plans could have revolutionized local strategies for waste disposal and management bringing this country more in line with first world practices. The question is why weren’t they? Why, with the clear backing and financial support provided by the IDB and monies the government previously invested, were these plans never executed? And where have the millions invested disappeared? We are informed that the Bahamas has repaid todate a significant amount of those funds.
Sadly, the answer is yet another example of the endemic political corruption which has stymied development in this country for more than four decades.
A report tabled by the Public Accounts Committee details possible fraud and overpayments in connection with the proposed projects and as a result of what the Auditor General Terrance Bastian called a complete breakdown of internal controls at the Department of Environmental Health services. That very report, further showed a great disparity in what should have been paid out as part of that contract and what was actually paid out.
The waste and inefficiencies, which resulted from the obvious mismanagement of this program, is again no surprise. The Democratic National Alliance since its inception has been calling for the government to implement more stringent controls to curb wastage as part of its efforts to relieve the overall tax burdens on hard working Bahamians.
Even in the face of such overwhelming evidence however, no government officials or any other individuals or entities have been made to answer for the failed execution of those plans and once again the government has remained silent. The Democratic National Alliance demands that the government come clean about the wasted millions allocated for reforms at the city dump. SHOW US THE MONEY! We as Bahamians have a right to know. PROSECUTE THOSE WHO STOLE THE MONEY!!!
Branville McCartney
DNA LeaderFor the past many years, the communities regularly blanketed by thick black smoke accompanied by the smell of noxious fumes emanating from the New Providence landfill have received no definitive response from this government regarding its plans to address long standing issues at that site. For years, successive governments have continued to ignore local and international research which has proven that the burning of waste at landfills produces air toxins such as carbon monoxide (CO) and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen as well as liberate metals including antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, phosphorus and titanium. These toxins have been linked to respiratory issues, heartbeat irregularities and irritation to eyes nose and throat in the short term as well as liver disease, kidney disease and even cancer in the long term. After years of waiting, watching, agitating and hoping however, Bahamians have been met with inaction and most recently accusations of being unpatriotic.
This PLP administration would have us believe that the issues at the NP landfill are beyond their control, that they lack the resources and funding to adequately address the problem in a way that could bring about real relief to residents in and around the area however that is ABSOLUTELY FALSE!
Between 1994 and 1999 the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved 4 separate grants to fund four solid waste management efforts in this country. $750,000 was awarded in 1994 for feasibility studies to be conducted locally. Just three years later, another $900,000 dollars was given to the government to fund a solid waste management project and other feasibility studies. In 1999, a total of 23.5 million dollars was awarded to the government by the IDB together with 10 million dollars of our money to fund waste management exercises which would include the construction of two waste facilities here in the New Providence and up to 18 such sites throughout the family islands. According to that agreement, funds were also to be earmarked for hazardous waste disposal facilities as well as institutional and administrative training and public education campaigns designed to ensure the viability and sustainability of those projects.
These plans, if executed at that time, could have provided real and sustained relief to thousands of families currently impacted by persistent fires at the city dump. In fact, such plans could have revolutionized local strategies for waste disposal and management bringing this country more in line with first world practices. The question is why weren’t they? Why, with the clear backing and financial support provided by the IDB and monies the government previously invested, were these plans never executed? And where have the millions invested disappeared? We are informed that the Bahamas has repaid todate a significant amount of those funds.
Sadly, the answer is yet another example of the endemic political corruption which has stymied development in this country for more than four decades.
A report tabled by the Public Accounts Committee details possible fraud and overpayments in connection with the proposed projects and as a result of what the Auditor General Terrance Bastian called a complete breakdown of internal controls at the Department of Environmental Health services. That very report, further showed a great disparity in what should have been paid out as part of that contract and what was actually paid out.
The waste and inefficiencies, which resulted from the obvious mismanagement of this program, is again no surprise. The Democratic National Alliance since its inception has been calling for the government to implement more stringent controls to curb wastage as part of its efforts to relieve the overall tax burdens on hard working Bahamians.
Even in the face of such overwhelming evidence however, no government officials or any other individuals or entities have been made to answer for the failed execution of those plans and once again the government has remained silent. The Democratic National Alliance demands that the government come clean about the wasted millions allocated for reforms at the city dump. SHOW US THE MONEY! We as Bahamians have a right to know. PROSECUTE THOSE WHO STOLE THE MONEY!!!
Branville McCartney
DNA Leader
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