At a recent town hall meeting at Dean’s Community Centre in Bullocks Harbour in the Berry Islands, the Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Vaughn P. Miller, in a powerful pronouncement stated that, “The most precious resource of The Bahamas is our people.”
The Minister expressed his commitment and concern for the welfare of the residents of the Berry Island community.
Highlighting the long-standing and vexing issues surrounding the mis-management of the local landfill. Miller acknowledged its “deplorable state” and pledged his commitment to reversing the present state of affairs in the earliest possible time frame. He took full responsibility for the ministry’s role in addressing these environmental concerns and outlined a number of immediate steps that would be taken to address the situation including a directive for the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS) to deploy a team to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the situation and put forward recommendations that can be implemented in the near term.
The Minister foreshadowed the introduction of a number of cost effective technological improvements that would receive consideration. Also, he anticipated the total dismantling and clean up of the existing landfill including the roads leading in to the landfill and the construction and relocation of that landfill. Additionally, a number of Winter residents have agreed to partner with local government authorities to bring resolution to the disposal of waste in an environmentally sustainable manner. In all of this, the minister pledged to keep residents regularly informed of progress being made.
The meeting, held on October 17, 2024, included remarks from Host Minister Hon. Leonardo Lightbourne, MP for North Andros and The Berry Islands; Hon. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness; and Hon. Jobeth Coleby-Davis, Minister of Energy and Transport. Minister Miller emphasized that his ministry is dedicated to undertaking significant efforts to clean up The Bahamas and to make the Berry Islands the premier community in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Source: Felicity Darville
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