No! No!. No to Bahama Rock
FELIX SANDS WRITES FROM FREEPORT
Bahama Rock is a Mining Company that exports aggregate to various markets around the world. The aggregate is used for the building of roads and in construction. Bahama Rock is situated to the western side of the entrance of Freeport Harbor that buttresses Hepburn Town, Eight Mile Rock. The company employs approximately 80 persons.
The company is seeking to purchase the land on which the old Bahamas Cement Co., plant stood; approximately 270 acres of land. The company is seeking government’s approval to strip mine the acreage, and call it widening the turning basin for the Freeport Harbor. A clever package of extracting aggregate to export the last bit of profits out of the acreage that is left in the area.
In this vein, the Ministry of Environment held a town meeting this past Wednesday, 29th July, in Freeport to hear from the residents and interested parties to begin a 30-day public consultative process.
The people of Grand Bahama have grown weary of these harebrained scheme ideas which only benefit the foreign investor, and when things go south, the taxpayers are left with the wreckage of paying the bill to fix the problem which was created by them.
In recent times, the Freeport Harbor was dredged to become a deeper port. Blasting took place, and the residential homes in Eight Mile Rock and Hawksbill, the neighboring communities homes, suffered structural damage to their homes; cracks to this day, and no remedy has been forthcoming. The owners completely ignored the problem, thus, failing the Good Will test miserably.
Bahama Rock has simply planned to strip mine a 270-acre dredging down to approximately 70 ft. next to the largest settlements outside of New Providence.
What are the implications for flooding and tidal flow for the neighboring settlements; including severe flooding during a weather cyclone on both sides of Freeport the entrance of Freeport Harbor? Eight Mile Rock, and on the other side, Pinder’s Point, Hawksbill, Lewis Yard and Hunters, all indigenous Bahamian communities. What is the benefit to the people of Grand Bahama should this project be allowed to proceed? Is the government prepared to play roulette with the health and safety of the people of these communities and their Investments?
The hallmark of the Progressive Liberal Party has always been “people are more important than things or profits”.
Grand Bahama’s recent history is a portrait of big business walking away when profits diminish. Driftwood /Princess closing off Sunrise Highway for a “beach”, Grand Lucaya Hotel and Grand Bahama Airport. These are examples of an impotent government shirking their responsibilities.
The finally blow of this unworthy Mining Company must not be allowed to be struck against a people who want only to live a quiet and Peaceable life. Their quality of life should not be molested.
NO! NO! NO to dredging at the entrance of Freeport Harbor .
Felix Sands