3rd October 2007

'Garbage Is A National Disgrace'

Mr. Speaker, before the last adjournment of the House of Assembly I raised in this place a concern about the state of the environment in the island of New Providence and more generally The Bahamas.  It was not the first time that I raised the issue.  In fact at the time of the Budget debate, I raised the question of what was happening with the environment particularly as it related to the Fox Hill constituency.  At the time, the side opposite was derisive and pleaded that they had only been in office a few weeks.

This was not a proper excuse.  Government continues and the systems had certainly been left in place so that there should have been no interruption in the maintenance and upkeep of the parks, the roadsides and the collection of garbage.

The matter rested there after the budget debate and the last adjournment with a specific promise that there would be some improvement with the purchase of new equipment and the allocation of additional manpower.

I wish to report to this House that the situation has not improved.  If anything it has gotten worse.   It is really quite a national disgrace that this island is so filthy.  If you proceed along the roads in my constituency and in others, it is obvious that the garbage is not being collected on time.  It is also obvious that the roadsides and parks are not being properly kept.   It is no excuse to say that there is a lack of equipment because equipment can be bought, and manpower can be hired.

Recently, an officer of the Department of Environmental Health paid a visit to my constituency office to say that the area had become part of a new zone system that the department had implemented to ensure that the island was kept clean.   I went around with the officer and identified scores of lots that needed cleaning down, and places where there were old abandoned cars.

I also visited the parks and pointed out in particular the Fox Hill parade and the Freedom Park, the Eastwood Park.  These parks have not been in such a disgraceful state of affairs in the ten years that I have been associated with the Fox Hill constituency.   The grass is up to your knees and there is uncollected refuse in the garbage tins and on the grounds.

These are high use parks and they require constant maintenance and attention.  These are not parks that can take once per month or twice per month.  In the case of the parks in central Fox Hill, they have up until now a man or woman stationed there whose responsibility is to ensure that the parks are kept clean.  That is no longer the case today.

Since that visit there had been no change in the state of the parks, the roadsides and in the collection of the garbage.

And I don’t hold the officer responsible.  There are clear systemic issues that need to be addressed.

In the case of the Eastwood Park that is now a popular spot for people to walk in the mornings and evenings.  Walkers have to walk amidst the garbage and the weeds.  The grass is now encroaching on the walking path because the individual who now has the charge of the cleaning of the park does not take sufficient care to ensure that the grass is edged and cut away from the walkway.   This needs to be addressed.

There must also be a statement on the problems associated with garbage collection and when that issue can be expected to be addressed.  There is a good deal of frustration about the issue. The garbage is not collected on a timely basis and there is no solution in sight.  Constituents call and they cannot get any answers or adequate response.

I am once again raising this vexing issue because I believe that a clean environment is absolutely essential to the health and well being of our people.   I have read recently where there is a dengue epidemic sweeping across the Caribbean region.  This is spread by mosquitoes, and we know that leaving around refuse also breeds mosquitoes.

The garbage and the environmental degradation, unless addressed directly and soon, could have further consequences for both the mental and physical health of the people of the country.

I once again urge the government to address this issue with dispatch.

Before I sit, Mr. Speaker, I read last evening that there is a new agreement amongst Caricom countries to cut down on the spread of infections in hospital that was signed by Caricom Health Minister in Washington earlier this week.  The Bahamas was not listed being amongst those countries that are a part of that agreement.  This causes me some concern and I would hope that the Minister is able to give an explanation for this.