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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Voice of The Bays guests and hosts on March 3rd, 2016. The topic was blasting and environmental
problems in the Hawksbill Community. L-R John Frampton, member of Concerned Citizens of
Hawksbill (CCH); Renardo Parker, President of CCH; Yvonne Grant, CCH member; Gail Woon, Co-Host/Consultant to CCH; Dave Barr, Consultant to CCH; Jackie Frazier, CCH member; Joseph Darville, Host/Consultant to CCH.(EARTHCARE photos)
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Freeport, Grand Bahama Island - On March 3rd, 2016, the Concerned Citizens of Hawksbill appeared on Voice of the Bays, The Environment Speaks hosted by Joseph Darville assisted by Gail Woon. The topic of the show was the Blasting by Martin Marietta Bahama Rock (MMBR). Guests included Dave Barr, Jackie Frazier, Renardo Parker, John Frampton and Yvonne Grant, members o the Concerned Citizens of Hawksbill.
Gail Woon gave a synopsis of the history of the problems, “I used to live in the Queens Cove Subdivision. We were the first group to complain about the blasting by Martin Marietta Bahama Rock. In 2000 – 2003, what was happening was MMBR was blasting fairly closely to the Fishing Hole Road area and we would feel the blasts daily at 4 p.m. We started to see cracks in our houses which appeared when blasting occurred. We complained, had meetings with their Manager, Walter Reid. We had meetings at Bahama Rock. MMBR officials had the audacity to tell us that slamming a door in our homes would cause more shaking in our houses than their blasting. So I set up a video camera inside my home to see if it would read the vibration. It certainly did. It’s on YouTube now along with the Meeting that Joseph Darville and I did in conjunction with the Concerned Citizens of Hawksbill in November 2015. What happened in Queens Cove, we got together and formed a Homeowners Association in order to raise a legal fund for our battle with MMBR. After a few fundraisers, the blasting moved away from our area, so no legal work was initiated. MMBR moved closer to the Harbour West Subdivision of Eight Mile Rock. The Concerned Residents of Grand Bahama was formed. Several meetings were held and some were contentious. We were able to stop MMBR from going across the Warren J. Levarity Highway into the mangroves and the north shore of the settlement of Eight Mile Rock. At one point Dr. Marcus Bethel, the then Minister of Environment issued a Cease and Desist Order and MMBR had to stand down for 6 months whilst reports were written and investigations done. Sadly, after the 6 month period MMBR was allowed to continue harvesting Grand Bahama. Fast forward to now, MMBR has moved their blasting to the south shore and are impacting the residents of the Hawksbill Subdivision.”
Joseph Darville, “We are not opposed to development, however the residents must not be ignored. We have a sad program to share with you today.”
Yvonne Grant, long time resident of the Hawksbill Subdivision, “My concern with the situation that is going on in Hawksbill is that I felt the tremors and I didn’t know what was happening until I was approached by the Concerned Citizens knocking on my door and that’s when I realized the reason my house is vibrating. My concern is that in 2004 my life changed, my life really changed. I went to bed, had a job, when I woke up through the night I was out of a job, that’s when the storm came through. I had a 2 year old and an 8 year old and I woke up with water coming, rising in my home. We had to break out the windows. My husband had to swim and get a boat, rescue us in a boat and it took me from 2004 to 2015 before I was able to finish repairs to my home. Now my concerns are every year when there is a storm my son is now 14 years old, he is still afraid because he still remembers that morning. He is so afraid of that water coming in. I just finished doing repairs to my home and every time the storms come, I am afraid that water’s going to come into my home again. What do I do? Who do I turn to for help? I have no insurance, I haven’t had a job in many, many years because I worked at the Royal Oasis. So when I woke up that morning not only that I didn’t have a home, I didn’t have a job and no Government official, no one came and knocked on my door and asked me if I needed help and that is my concern because if a storm comes I cannot afford to move and if I can’t afford to move what happens to my brothers and sisters who can’t afford to move. It’s not right, those who had the monies they moved. Right now my home is surrounded by abandoned homes. Who had the insurance, they moved out. So that is my concern, what happens when the storm comes now when water comes in and my home is destroyed again. What happens then? Who do I turn to?
Water has been coming in my house and I didn’t know why. Water was coming in my home. I brought in a contractor. Every time it rains and bad weather, water is coming through my house and I want to know why. The contractor is telling me you have to dig down and do your foundation different things he was telling me things I needed to do to my home. I didn’t know the reason why my house was shaking until this group was formed. I didn’t know what it was.
I just know every time I’d wake up screaming, Oh my God what is happening? I really didn’t know what was the problem.”
John Frampton, Hawksbill resident, “So the first time I actually experienced the blasting was a day sitting down for lunch and I just felt that house shaking tremendously and I honest to God thought it was an earthquake so I backed out, I left food and everything, ran outside to the streets and well I am looking to see who is out there with me. Unfortunately no one was there so I go to my neighbor I says, “Did you feel that earthquake just now?” He said, “John, that’s no earthquake, that’s the blasting that’s going on in the creek.” And it’s right after that I was approached by the Concerned Citizens group and I became a member in the group. I live there and this is my home. I’ve made this my home and I don’t like what’s going on. We also have, we are contending with the environment, the pollution also.”
Renaldo Parker, President of the Concerned Citizens of Hawksbill, “My main experience in Hawksbill is to see how devastated the people are, to see how the people are being disrespected. The Government should be ashamed of itself. No one has stepped forward and even tried to show some form of compassion to the residents of Hawksbill. At least one time, Government could at least come down and talk to the people and let them know what’s going on that, hey, at least we trying to make something, do something to help the people of Hawksbill. This is going on too long and we need some results.”
Jackie Frazier, resident of Hawksbill, “My experience laying down in the bed, I felt the bed vibrating and I know I was reading a book. I said I fall asleep and I thought I was dreaming. Until Concerned Citizens came and knock on my door and they asked me if I feel any vibration. So at first I was like this must be a spooky thing. And I noticed I’ll be laying down in my bed and would literally be shaking and after we went to Bahama Rock for a meeting. I said let me go check the house and the house is really cracked up but nobody from that meeting up to now has been by to my door because I don’t work so I’m home all the time to even question me or anything like that. Nobody came to the house as yet.”
Dave Barr, Consultant to the Concerned Citizens of Hawksbill, “I would like the Bahamas to picture in your early years investing in the biggest investment you would make in your life such as a home with the intention of sitting back in your twilight years and enjoying your home with your family and to be abruptly confronted with the reality that now that you have almost finished paying for your home you have to practically almost the same amount of money to repair it as a result of a company. They use the situation is It’s a time where they are trying to expand. Do we agree that expansion is necessary, growth is necessary but not to the detriment of people’s investment. I think in the Eight Mile Rock area, we had a problem whereas these homes were destroyed somewhat and nobody yet has received a penny as far as I know to do any kind of refurbishing or to repairs. Are we going to sit back and have the residents of Hawksbill go through the same thing and I mean when you look at Eight Mile Rock and that area their homes are pretty new. You’re talking about homes that have been built over 25 years now when people are looking to be enjoying themselves now but they have to be hustling money to go and repair. I think it is a tragedy and travesty. I think companies who are destroying these homes should be made to make some kind of fund if they have to save money or put it away for the people but I think they need to do something to help these people repair their homes.”
Jackie added, “In 2002, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, 2013 I was diagnosed with lung cancer and I was told by the Environmental Department of the Grand Bahama Port Authority their words to me were, “We know what’s going on but we can’t do anything about it.” My thing is you moved schools, all the schools out of Hawksbill, initiated by Joe Darville, all the schools but you haven’t moved the residents. My thing is simply this – Do the right thing, do the right thing.”
Renaldo echoed her statements and added, “We need the Government to step forward and do what they are paid to be done.”
John said, “We need the higher authorities to really step up to the plate and help us. We need action taken ASAP.”
Yvonne said, “I just feel like in life we all need a hand. In this we are asking our leaders to be sympathetic to the people who have put you in power. Do the right thing.”
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