EDITOR, The Tribune.

Mayaguana: A Forgotten Island

IF you ask Bahamians to state something they know about Mayaguana, most will respond by asking, what or where is Mayaguana? This southern island is often treated as the stepchild of The Bahamas. Due to the constant neglect by successive Governments, the island’s development has been a slow and painful process throughout the years causing its residents to gradually abandon their home one by one. (Pop. About 160)

For years, complaints have been made about the mailboat system and service which is supposed to deliver food and supplies weekly. However, these operators seem to be lackadaisical about the entire ordeal as they sail whenever they deem necessary. In April 2017, the locals waited an entire month before the Lady Mathilda showed up; with most of the goods spoiled or rotted by the time they arrived. Moreover, these residents were not compensated for items lost.

After Hurricane Irma passed through the southern islands, Mayaguana’s already defective dock was completely destroyed. The Prime Minister visited the island soon after and while being taken to see the damages done by Irma, he decided that he simply did not have the time. Since then, locals have band together to remove whatever debris they could, but how long will it take before someone is sent to assess the damages and have the dock repaired? Furthermore, when will proper hurricane shelters be built to house the people of Mayaguana lest we are unable to evacuate again? We applaud the current Government for rapidly reacting in the wake of Hurricane Irma, but it is just not enough!

While in the Lynden Pindling International Airport awaiting his flight to the MICAL constituency, The Prime Minister invited persons to address him personally. However, when approached by an inhabitant of Mayaguana, The Prime Minister brushed him aside and met with the residents of Inagua instead. Even more reprehensible, when addressing the Bahamas on the recent Hurricane Maria, The Hon. Hubert Minnis forgot to mention Mayaguana as a part of the islands that would be impacted first. If this is the people’s time, then it must not extend to the inhabitants of our little island.

Mayaguana’s medical facilities include one clinic with a Registered Nurse and a Clinically Trained Nurse. There are no doctors and no major equipments should an emergency arise. In fact, in the case of a medical emergency, an Air Ambulance (which can rack up fees in the thousands) has to be called in. Locals are left to pay these exorbitant fees, whereas in New Providence, public ground ambulance service is a meager twenty dollars! Due to the lack of jobs, residents aren’t equipped to pay for such services.

In addition, there are also no banks, just a post office that requires payment when funds are being sent to or out of the island.

Just recently, the decision was made to close the doors of The National Insurance Board’s Mayaguana office. This department was previously run by an employee from Nassau who was asked to return home. The office would be closed for three weeks out of the month. The last week of the month, another employee will be flown into Mayaguana to handle the Department’s affairs. Is it wrong to question why the Government, after providing an employee with a salary, rent and utilities, hardship and a Government owned vehicle for almost a year suddenly decides to close its Department doors only to have to fly someone in for just one week when it would be so much easier to hire and train a local to do the same job? This is called empowerment!

Another issue that no one seems to want to address is the inexcusable condition of The Abraham’s Bay High School. The school consists of four rooms. One being the teacher’s quarters shared with the Principal’s office. How do we expect our children to learn when teachers are frustrated because they have to sit in their vehicles while waiting to teach their next class?

Mayaguana, at one time, was known for farming. Nevertheless, this is something that cannot be fully pinned on the Government of The Bahamas. It pains me to see the younger generation neglect a trade that our ancestors took pride in while the few remaining elders labor in the hot sun to produce fruits and vegetables to either barter or sell for an income outside of pension. With the help of the government, a small program such as BAMSI would be beneficial to Mayaguana’s dying farming industry. The island is rich in soil and land simply needs attending to. It is my belief that locals may find it intimidating or difficult to start on their own. Perhaps this can also be the government’s way of handing out jobs. Subsequently, the produce that is cultivated can be exported either throughout The Bahamas or Florida and revenue can be made, but, here again, we will require a reliable mailboat service.

The roads are in desperate need of repaving, yet the government contracts the same company repeatedly to correct a problem that has never really been fully corrected!

In 2013 a fatal airplane crash involved the deaths of three residents. This event initiated the construction of a new airport runway, lights included. However, the airport terminal has long been falling apart. These dignitaries should be ashamed to visit the island and see the condition of the island’s only airport and be okay with it! We are not asking for a state of the art airport, just a building that doesn’t leak when it rains or creaks when the slightest wind blows. Is it going to take another detrimental event to get things going?

There is one hotel. No activities save for bone fishing, lounging on the powder white beaches, maybe kayaking or bird watching, if you like that type of stuff. There are no beachfront restaurants or propane gas stations.

Bahamas Air agents are still communicating via a dinosaur radio and are still stamping the same tickets used since I was a child. They don’t even own a computer!

There are a lot of things needed in Mayaguana: A bank for starters; hotels, a new dock, an ambulance and a new mailboat if this particular company isn’t willing to get their act together. While we realise that everything isn’t the government’s responsibility, the inhabitants of Mayaguana want to be taken seriously! As it stands, we have no choice but to fight for our future generations. We cannot solely rely on the few fishermen that go out to sea every day to earn a living, nor the bars or one single hotel to keep our island afloat. We are as much a part of The Bahamas as Exuma, Abaco and Bimini. It is our right to question our country’s stance on the growth of an economy, especially our own.

We are not bashing the Government of The Bahamas or the previous Administration. Nor are we looking for handouts. We are not an ungrateful people, we are simply overlooked.

ONE MAYAGUANA

Mayaguana,

Bahamas

September 28, 2017.