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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Kwasi Thompson: PLP Government’s Statement is Too Little Too Late
By Hon. Sen. Kwasi Thompson, Shadow Minister for Environment
May 5, 2015 - 9:55:07 PM
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 The
PLP’s overall response and in particular, their statement released in today’s
newspapers and today's press conference have been wholly inadequate to address
the Rubis Spill Crisis. The Christie Government has remained silent for two (2)
weeks in the midst of heavy criticism by the Free National Movement while the
residents in Marathon remained exposed to harmful chemicals for over a year and
now true to form the PLP breaks its silence by first issuing a faceless, authorless,
generic statement from the Government of the Bahamas only to be followed up by
a press conference full of contradictions and an inadequate response one year
to late.
The Government’s statement does not state which Ministry or which
Minister issued the statement and seeks to hide behind the title “Government of
the Bahamas”. The PLP Government’s press
conference unfortunately did not add anything new to the statement. The public
should also question why both the PLP Government and the Rubis Company gave
press conferences the same day of the town meeting. It would appear the PLP government has sided with Rubis and not with the people of the Marathon constituency. It is laughable that the Government believes the release of this statement is an adequate response to one of the worse health crisis in Bahamian history.
The Statement and Subsequent Press Conference lacked Empathy and Compassion for the Residents
The impersonal statements lacked empathy and shows a complete lack of understanding and compassion for the position of the people of Marathon. It simply is not what a caring Government would do. The PLP in issuing such a statement, proves that they refuse to take responsibility for their inactions, continue to treat our people with contempt and shows that they refuse to be held accountable to the people for their wrong doing and dereliction of duty? It unfortunately reflects the three (3) years of PLP governance which has been incompetent, lacking in accountability and completely out of touch with the people they claim to care about.
The Substance of the PLP Government’s Statements are False according to Residents
The substance of the PLP statement and press conference is simply false according to residents. The statements contradict the statement made by Rubis themselves, who have never publicly confirmed that all the contaminants have been removed and now say they are continuing the process. The Minister now says the spill has been contained and no residents are at risk! Certainly, if this was in fact true, why would the Minister and officials from the Ministry of Environment not ease the fears of residents and disclose this at the first Marathon Town Meeting. Secondly, the Attorney General specifically said there was no delay in releasing the report. The PLP Government now says it regrets the delay! The PLP again silent on this contradiction!
It is also false that all affected water wells have been tested as residents themselves have complained that there are wells which have not been tested and they have not been given the results of those that were tested. It is also false that residents have been instructed not to use well water as residents have confirmed that they have heard no warning from the Government and no warnings were made public. In fact, the Black and Veatch report specifically revealed that there was an administrative directive from the Department of Environmental Health Services not to inform the public. Who gave this directive and why? The PLP has been silent on this critical error.
PLP Weakened the Ministry of Environment
The PLP must take full responsibility for deliberately weakening the Ministry of Environment. The PLP just doesn’t get it! The FNM was right and they got it completely wrong in combining the Ministry of Environment and Housing in the first place. A Department of Environmental Planning and Protection is still not sufficient. The FNM specifically created a separate Ministry of Environment and a separate Minister for the Environment to specifically focus and address only environmental issues. The PLP ignored its own consultants and weakened this Ministry by combining it with Housing which has taken the focus from the Environment which requires its own Ministry. The PLP now promises legislation but they knew all this a year ago. There is no new information the PLP has now that it didn’t have a year ago. If they were really interested in environmental protection it would have come over a year ago!
The Statement and Press Conference Fails to address Keys issues.
This statement is further evidence that the PLP is not fit to govern, have failed the people of Marathon and have proven again and again that they can only provide empty slogans and broken promises. The faceless statement and cold press conference have failed on many levels and does not address:-
· The reason for the Government’s delay in releasing the Black and Veatch Report or the reason for the directive not to talk to the public.
· PLP’s continued failure to provide necessary and accurate information and adequate warnings for Marathon residents and the public.
· PLP’s failure to ensure that adequate measures are now in place for the safety of residents.
· PLP’s failure to acknowledge that hundreds of persons were exposed and possibly affected not just 5 houses.
· PLP’s failure to make public which water wells and areas were tested and; failure to release results to residents and the public.
· PLP’s failure to investigate and address reports of similar leaks on other locations.
· PLP’s failure to come clean and fulfill all recommendations of the Black and Veatch Report.
· What harm has been caused to residents and the public as a result of the PLP’s delay in releasing the report, communicating to the public and residents and how the Government will compensate the people for that harm.
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
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