Landfill Fires Highlight Government's Failure to Advance Energy Agenda

by Larry Smith

In case you hadn’t noticed, the Harrold Road dump exploded again last week, spewing billowing clouds of toxic fumes and black smoke into the clear skies over New Providence.

The government’s response was to send in the fire trucks and suggest that those affected by the pollution shut their windows and visit a clinic.

His job done, Environment Minister Ken Dorsett then jetted off to a regional conference at a Mexican resort.

Ironically, an official release on this meeting said it gave an opportunity to Ministers of Environment "to articulate to the world the need to embed the environment in all facets of sustainable development.”

Meanwhile, back in Nassau the dump continued to burn - not for the first time, and likely not for the last. In fact, the dump catches fire every other year in the dry season, releasing cancer-causing chemicals and particulate matter into the air. It has been doing this for decades.