By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

AT LEAST three sick Cable Bahamas employees are preparing litigation against their employer and Rubis Bahamas over the underground gasoline leak in Marathon.

The workers plan to file their case within the next few days, according to a source close to the matter, who said that employees did not feel that they were included in the present litigation filed by Cable Bahamas against Rubis.

“There are a number of sick Cable Bahamas employees,” the source said, “right now we have three that are committed but the employees don’t want to lose their job so they are reluctant to come forward.”

“The litigation ongoing between Rubis and CB is one aspect, and although the residents are the primary people impacted, there are business owners with employees and customers who were exposed over a significant period of time.”

This comes as more Marathon residents team up to file collective lawsuits against Rubis amid assurances from MP Jerome Fitzgerald that they have legal claim.

At an impromptu meeting held over the weekend with residents on the eastern side of the station, Mr Fitzgerald warned that the matter could potentially turn into a “circus”, muddled with a host of illegitimate claims.

He explained that the government’s focus was to address the concerns of persons within a mile to two-mile radius of the station, and warned that engaging Rubis one-on-one would be a lengthy and costly ordeal.

“Everyday I have people coming from way across Marathon,” he said, “coming to say they want to get involved. As far as claim, it is only a group in this area right here who have a direct claim and exposure. So one of the things I am concerned about was it gets muddled up and the government is not able to deal with legitimate concerns of residents directly impacted.”

Mr Fitzgerald said: “Once you get into court, as a lawyer will tell you, once you get into court with these corporations they will starve you. Their money is as long as long could be and they will drag you in the courts forever and ever.

He added: “So now that we’ve taken this step we will continue to put pressure on Rubis until they come to the table, to come to an understanding with the residents who they impacted. That’s why it’s not the individual choice right now because in terms of legislation to force them, right now we don’t have legal authority but next week we will bring.”

The Tribune obtained a recording of the meeting from residents who attended, but were concerned over the intent of the gathering.

Around 15 residents were said to have attended the meeting at the home of long-time resident Brenneth Chisolm, and were reportedly given less than three hours notice.

Mr Fitzgerald told residents that there was “no logical explanation” for why the government withheld the report; however, remediation efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Environment were immediate.

“The Ministry of Environment executed right to the T,” he said, “the Ministry of Health there were some holes there, when it came to Rubis some holes are there.

Mr Fitzgerald said: “We now know that they [Rubis] did follow up with the testing, we now have those results, the latest was in February of this year. As far as the release of the report there is no logical explanation with regards to that, but I don’t want the residents to think that just because the report was not released that the government didn’t move ahead.”

According to an independent report on the spill, 24,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline leaked from the service station on November 25, 2012, and resulting remediation began on January 19, 2013.

While the government has maintained that only five households have been affected by the spill, the Ministry of Health began the first phase of health screenings on residents in the immediate area Monday afternoon.

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.

At a town meeting held on Monday night, Dr Sy Pierre, clinical director at the Bahamas Medical Centre, informed residents that chemicals found in gasoline, like benzene, had a short life span in the blood and were quickly stored in fat cells within days following exposure. Thus, conclusive testing to determine exposure would have to involve fat samples.

The Ministry of Environment released a copy of the draft legislation for the establishment of the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection yesterday.