Tuesday, May 7, 2024
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@triubunemedia.net
AFTER a fire erupted on Exuma last week, officials said the island desperately needs fire trucks.
Earl Campbell, Exuma and Ragged Island’s administrator, said the fire started in Farmer’s Hill near Sandals Resort last Monday. Mr Campbell said the fire was extinguished on Sunday by the efforts of firefighters, Sandals’ staff, police officers, and the district council.
He said the lack of fire trucks on Exuma has left the island in dire need when trying to put out raging fires.
He said there should be three fire trucks for the island’s eastern, western, and central parts.
“The only fire engines we have are at the airport, and those cannot be removed because the airport is very critical and very important,” he said. “You don’t know what could happen at the airport, so those fire engines need to stay at the airport at all times.”
Bradwin Hall, a firefighter at Exuma International Airport for 34 years, said the lack of manpower and fire trucks has handicapped the fire department.
“I think once we get the truck, we could get something started with manpower,” he said.
Mr Hall said the additional fire equipment could be stationed in settlements throughout the island, and firefighters could educate interested volunteers on how to safely use it.
No homes or businesses were damaged during the latest fire and there were no reports of injuries.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Jomo Campbell discussed the Potter’s Cay Dock fire in February 2024, where six vendors lost their stalls.
He said one of the six vendors who lost their property “has fully accessed their material”, while the other five vendors are awaiting approval from the Ministry of Works for their plans.
He said each vendor had received about $16,500 to help them re-establish their lost business.
Comments
rosiepi says...
Massive fires round the world have been chalked up to climate change, and isn’t that the subject of Davis&Co’s world wide speechifying, warning and complaining of this effect on smaller nations like the Bahamas.
And before we allow him any due here let’s recall that we’re just as bad as any major polluter, look at our dead-in-the-water Ministry of the Environment…the deaths of our coral reefs, the diminished fish industry due to over harvesting, the pollution and dumping from cruise ships that go unchecked and the oil and sundry toxic materials buried and/or leaking, burning whatever.
Bahamians should be embarrassed knowing world leaders see our shrill lecturing on environmental diligence, the poor me pleas for what they are, political schtick for their homebound audience.
So tell us great leaders have you ever looked at the plank in your eyes??
And why should our islands have to wait for ‘donations’ of fire trucks??
Put this nation’s revenue to work, into good governance, proactive initiatives and not in silk lined pockets.
Posted 7 May 2024, 1:18 p.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
Ambulances and now fire trucks. This thieving bunch of crooks led by corrupt Davis really could not care any less about the Bahamian people as they go about lining their own pockets and enjoying the good life. Truly a sad situation.
Posted 7 May 2024, 5:05 p.m. Suggest removal
hrysippus says...
A critical shortage of ambulance;
Was this caused by lack of maintenance?
Or hitting potholes too many times,
When responding to the murder crimes?
And didn’t one crash and overturn?
Somethings we never seem to learn.
If its not broke we don’t fix it.
SOE’s don’t care,
don’t give a shoot.
Posted 7 May 2024, 6:42 p.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
And stumpy dumbo Davis has no difficulty in squandering $200,000+ dollars of the taxpayers' money on a brand spanking new BMW so that he does not have to experience too much discomfort when being driven over all of those deep potholes.
The maintenance on stumpy Davis's new BMW will also be costing us taxpayers a small fortune because no car can withstand the beating put on it by the extremely poor condition of many of our roads today, especially on New Providence Island.
Posted 8 May 2024, 1:47 p.m. Suggest removal
BONEFISH says...
eExuma,Abaco and Eleuthera are all net contributors to the consolidated fund / treasury. A larger percentage of the tax revenue generated on these family islands should stay there. The Bahamas really needs to change it's governance system. There needs to be a more stronger form of local governments on the the family islands. They are treated like little colonies of Nassau.The Bahamas needs to move to a federal West Minister system which the Canadians and the Australians are using.
Posted 7 May 2024, 9:04 p.m. Suggest removal
DWW says...
maybe they could use some of the regatta party cash to buy a firetruck for the island?
Posted 9 May 2024, 8:09 a.m. Suggest removal
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