Rubis uproar

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FRUSTRATED Marathon residents last night demanded that the government reconsider the number of households affected by the Rubis fuel spill at the Robinson Road and Old Trail Road service station.

More than 200 people flocked to the volatile town meeting held at Grace Community Church to address the exclusive concerns of residents in Regency Park, Highbury Park, and Palmetto Village.

Pointing to numerous cancer deaths and blood-related diseases that were said to have proliferated in the community, residents railed against reports of inadequate testing in their community and accused the government of negligence in its role to protect public health.

Tempers flared following presentations from environmental and health experts, and former government officials, who contested the government’s position on the initial and current risks associated with the spill.

Ninety-year-old resident Katrina Livingstone said: “I live Isabella Boulevard. They came and tested my well water. No one ever came back to me. I had cancer in 2005, I didn’t have to take chemo or radiation (at that time) but a year ago I now have to go every two months because they found that cancer is in my blood.”

Hosted by radio personality Jeffrey Lloyd, the meeting began at 7.45pm and was organised by resident group Justice for Marathon with assistance from Cable Bahamas. A representative from the telecommunications company brought the meeting to a close shortly before 10pm.

Presenters included: Kenred Dorsett, Minister of Environment; Romauld Ferreira, environmental attorney and consultant; Dr Sy Pierre, clinical director at the Bahamas Medical Centre; and Phenton Neymour, industry expert and former Minister of State for Environment.

During his presentation on toxins and relevant health testing and treatment, Dr Pierre explained that chemicals like benzene had a short life span in the blood and were quickly stored in fat cells by the body following exposure. He said the toxins were likely to remain in fat tissue unless removed through specific detoxification treatment.

According to the BEST Commission, a leak of 12,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline at the service station at Robinson and Old Trail Roads occurred in late December 2012, and was reported on January 19 to Rubis and the government. However, as Mr Ferreira pointed out, both Rubis and station operator Fiorente Management stated that the leak first occurred on November 25, 2012. It was previously reported that the size of the spill was 24,000 gallons.

Mr Ferreira said that the spill was not contained and was very likely to still be migrating north east and endangering residents, given that a screen was not set up to prevent the underground gas leak from travelling further into the community.

Both Mr Ferreira and Mr Neymour quoted from the Black and Veatch International report, which found that Marathon residents were possibly exposed to harmful chemicals including benzene that had contaminated the groundwater. They criticized the fact that there was insufficient testing conducted at the boundaries of the affected area identified by Rubis.

Mr Neymour explained that the BVI report was only a “report on a report” and could not make any independent or conclusive assessment of risks to residents and the environment.

“The leak occurred in November, reported in January,” Mr Neymour said, “but Black and Veatch wasn’t engaged until October.

“Do you know that three months after the contamination, they went in the middle of Robinson Road and measured the volatility of the air and found it to be explosive? They didn’t close the road down or nothing. Think about it.”

The Ministry of Health began meeting with Marathon residents affected by the 2012 underground Rubis fuel leak yesterday.

Last night, resident Lillian Russell confirmed that she was one of the first homes visited by the Ministry of Health (MOH) team. She said that officials conducted a questionnaire, and informed her that there would be a follow-up to collect blood and urine samples. However, she expressed concerns over the effectiveness of the screening given the exposure timeline and information presented by Dr Pierre.

Although Mr Dorsett maintained that the spill’s impact was contained to only five households, and that remediation has brought contamination within acceptable safety levels, he advised residents that nobody in the area should use groundwater.

A show of hands revealed that more than 60 per cent of those attending were still using private well water.

Among the demands put forward by residents were calls for a widened area of testing, and a campaign to ensure that all residents were switched to city water at no cost.

Area MP Jerome Fitzgerald was also present, and at times defended his role in the matter against residents who accused him of not acting on their behalf or in their best interest.

Mr Fitzgerald told residents he found it unfortunate that the situation had been embedded with “partisan speculation, political jockeying and scare tactics”.

A longtime resident, Alfonso Smith, said that Mr Fitzgerald was not fit to represent the people of Marathon; however, he was booed by some persons in the crowd, who insisted that the matter was not political.

Longtime resident Steven Plakaris, of Regency Park, said his family has eaten from their home garden for the past several years and use private well water because the quality and supply of city water was unsatisfactory.

“You can say to not get into politics, but politics is the art of governance,” Mr Plakaris said. “The facts said that the knowledge that the persons in the area would be affected, and that they needed to be informed is in black and white. It went to the various leaders, the leaders read it, sat down, looked at it, and said I don’t live there, and then a year later is gonna tell me in no uncertain terms that I shouldn’t be concerned? And for a year and a half, me and my family, friends, and neighbours drinking, living in the area. You got to be joking.”

“If we must wait any longer for a report to be given,” he said, “I would like to invite all those on both sides to come and drink our water. All of my neighbours have pumps. Come and drink my water and bathe in the same water that I use, and then you tell me to be patient and be calm. When you can do that I know you care, otherwise you go back home. The rest of us will go to our homes where my friends and neighbours have died.

“I buried a good friend just a few months ago from cancer and a few others in this area. I don’t want to bury anymore. It was an accident and I know that, but accident means that people have a right to know.”

Mr Plakaris said: “Please let us know what is going to be done now, not 10 months later, what recourse you have to medical examination without cost, to legal representation without cost, because you as our leaders both sides knew.

“There is no excuse,” he added.

Comments

birdiestrachan says...

I know for a fact that many persons who do not live in Marathon suffer from cancer. The Government should have given what information they had to the people, they have admitted they made a mistake. but the leak was acted upon right away. It is to bad it has become a political foot ball with no real concern for the persons affected. This is not the first leak and there was no out cry at all. before this one. Did the people in the area know why cable Bahamas closed their office and were they concerned?

Posted 5 May 2015, 2:03 p.m. Suggest removal

Space says...

Were you at the meeting? Did you hear what the people had to say? The facts and figures? How many people had been drinking contaminated (cancer causing) water for 2 years without being informed? People in that meeting literally being informed right there and then of the health hazards they were facing? - I don't think "they admitted they made a mistake" is enough of an explanation with all due respect. Fitzgerald was the only one who made an unprovoked political attack during that meeting, accusing opposing parties of of "using" the matter for political gain. AND!? I'm shocked that their focus is on what the FNM and DNA are doing rather on on their own failures. Should they not have enough to worry about without having to give speeches attacking the opposing parties!? It's their responsibility to help these people, not try and deflect blame with school yard tactics; "but look they're being bad too!"
Absurd behaviour.

Posted 5 May 2015, 3:43 p.m. Suggest removal

Well_mudda_take_sic says...

WORTH REPEATING: Between the admissions made in the recently released Government Statement on this matter, and the admissions made by the so called 'apologizers' mentioned in the above article, Allyson Maynard-Gibson should be made to resign or completely step aside from the AG's Office so that an impartial assessment can be made by a suitably qualified independent prosecutor as to whether criminal charges should be filed against certain individuals. It seems quite clear now that certain high ranking government officials not only knew or ought to have known about the very serious health and life-threatening issues involved here, and not only failed to act expeditiously to protect (as much as possible) the health and safety of the Marathon residents and the value of their property, but these officials instead wantonly orchestrated the delay and/or cover up of vital information that could and should have been used to help save lives. Some may have already perished and undoubtedly others will too at a later time as a result of their unnecessary suffering of prolonged exposure to the toxic chemicals that remain in the soil and ground water. The grave misconduct of those key government officials who seem to have played a very deliberate role in orchestrating the delay and/or cover of the information and proper actions that should been taken very possibly rises to the level of serious criminal offenses. The entire matter warrants a full and proper investigation led by an independent special prosecutor who is completely free of ties to the Christie Administration and the Office of The Attorney General. We cannot have Bahamians needlessly dying because a select few privileged individuals consider it to be either politically expedient or in their own self-interest to do so.

Posted 5 May 2015, 3:53 p.m. Suggest removal

Well_mudda_take_sic says...

Previously posted in reply by REALITY_CHECK: The willful suppression from the public of reports and information about the serious health consequences of this particular matter has no doubt greatly contributed to many Bahamians in the Marathon area being exposed to the toxic cancer-causing chemicals for a much longer period then they might otherwise have been. Many families in the Marathon area resort to drinking well water because Water & Sewerage often cannot provide the reliable source of potable water they require and they are unable, in these hard economic times, to afford buying bottled water. These are well known facts. What has been allowed to happen here to the health and well-being of so many Bahamians, and to their property values, is, well... simply unconscionable and beyond comprehension! Does our AG have a conscience? As for Christie, we have him promising new legislation and a costly new government department as if the matter is not already well addressed by existing laws and regulations. No Mr. Christie, we just need for you and your government to enforce our existing well established laws as they relate to this matter....please, no more rambling political excuses and shuffling delay... just do what you swore to uphold and do as PM for all Bahamians.

Posted 5 May 2015, 3:55 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Comrades come take a walk down memory lane when then PLP opposition senator Jerome had this to say in his criticism of the red shirts environment minister Earl: "Irrefutable facts" and visual evidence of the undeniable and large scale destruction being 'wreaked on the environment' at and around Bell Island in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park."
For what it's NOW worth, opposition PLP senator Jerome back then also directed no more wiser words of warning to Earl : "Minister, words alone CANNOT be trusted".

Posted 5 May 2015, 4:20 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

This is a clarion call to make checks of all service stations, especially in populated areas for leaks past and present . It is also time to crack down on those roadside garages and backyard garages ( bush mechanics) who have been pouring oil, transmission fluid and other petroleum waste products in the ground for many years. And most of them are in populated areas. Our eco system is so delicate and sometimes we don't know the true effects of our actions. For example most of the coral reefs around New Providence are dead or what is called "bleached out". For years the environmental experts were saying this was caused by fishermen using chlorine bleach to chase lobster out of the reefs. While the chlorine may have did its damage new research is showing that pollution, especially human fecal matter , is the main culprit behind the coral bleaching. When the pollution gets on the reef, it introduces new strains of bacterium that kills of the bacteria that is usually on the reef and serves is a protection for the coral. Once the bacteria dies so does the coral and all other life on the reef.

Posted 5 May 2015, 5:22 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Comrades are there any truth to the rumours of attendees at the Town Tall meeting last night being bused-in, who also may have included non residents Marathon Estates? I asked this because it seems the residents of Marathon all all happy and have no worries over the fuel spill, or with the government or their MP hiding the report from them, for over almost 2 years? Who were the people filling the seats early, before the meeting got under way? Did Marathon residents get speak or were their voices sabotaged by the bus loads guests supporters? Who them that came on da buses cuz the buses were quite visible naked eye but obviously not to a single reporters camera? And, they call themselves"journalists?"

Posted 5 May 2015, 5:41 p.m. Suggest removal

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