Nassau, Bahamas - The Democratic National Alliance (DNA)
is appalled by the attempts of government officials to downplay the severity of
the situation at the New Providence Landfill.
The DNA was thoroughly disappointed with
comments made to a local daily by the Deputy Director of the Department of
Environmental Health Services Thomasina Wilson, in which she dismissed calls
from concerned residents to test the toxicity of the air in the affected areas;
instead admonishing residents to simply keep their windows closed. She must
clearly live outside the reach of the dump’s fumes, or may simply have her head
buried in the sand on this issue as a means of escaping the deadly toxic haze
of smoke which many residents have been forced to live with over the past week
or so. Her comments are proof that in this case, he who feels it KNOWS IT.
What, if anything, would it take for the
Christie government to be spurred to action? Perhaps, God forbid, this
administration would like to see residents with respiratory illnesses and
complications die before admitting that there is a serious problem.
The persistent dump fires have already
forced the closure of schools in the area to protect the health of young
children. Businesses in the area are also being adversely affected with many
forced to close shop early at a time when every potential dollar earned is
extremely important.
Has the government even considered what
their inaction could mean for the country’s tourism product as visitors are
also being subjected to the thick smoke, pungent odor and fumes, which on a
windy day, can be detected as far away as the Bahamar development? Certainly,
the persons in charge of overseeing the continued environmental integrity of
our beautiful island have considered the consequences of their inaction.
Does the Minister, and members of his
team really believe that sporadic public statements on this most recent spate
of fires, made from the comfort and confines of a Mexican hotel room have done
anything to provide relief to the residents of the affected communities? Will
the Deputy Director stand behind her assertions that the fumes are not toxic
even as residents continue to have their quality of life adversely affected?
Experts estimate that each individual
can be responsible for up to 5 pounds of waste per day. Every day, new toxic
materials are added to the mountainous waste piles. As those items decompose,
they create even more harmful gases such as methane which is a proven irritant
to the eyes and lungs. The fumes resulting from the ongoing decomposition of
that waste also contains other dangerous chemicals such as mercury and dioxin
which have been linked to respiratory distress, gene mutation, and even damage
to the body’s reproductive tissue.
Again, the DNA demands immediate action
to be taken in the interest of public health and safety. The government must do
the right thing and end the ongoing mismanagement of the city landfill.
Branville McCartney
DNA Leader
