Environmentalist condemns oil dumping as “absolutely despicable”

Environmentalist condemns oil dumping as “absolutely despicable”

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A well-known environmentalist yesterday condemned the discovery of oil and other refuse dumped in South Bahamia, Grand Bahama as “absolutely despicable”.

Joe Darville of Waterkeepers Bahamas told Eyewitness News he was directed to the site while in Central Grand Bahama with area MP Iram Lewis working on a community gardening initiative.

“This is an area where over a period of time they had dumped a huge amount of used oil,” he said.

“Obviously some must have come from a car repair place. It was right in the middle of Freeport proper, about 45 feet from one of the main roads in South Bahama, Pinta Avenue.

“A significant amount of greenery had been killed by the oil and it had settled in a pool that was filling up with rainwater.”

He continued: “On Saturday evening we found an enormous amount of garbage dumped on a further section of the land.

“There were tons of discarded stoves, refrigerators, air conditioning units all dumped back there in South Bahamia. It is absolutely despicable that people would do such a thing to the environment.”

Last month, East Grand Bahama MP and Deputy Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest condemned those responsible for a large quantity of oil dumped on the side of the road in Grand Bahama and warned those responsible would be aggressively pursued by police.