Management at the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort and Spa on West Bay Street accepted the blame Friday for a putrid smell that had overwhelmed the area, causing complaints from nearby residents and businesspersons.
Neighbours complained about what they called a stomach-wrenching odor that emanated from the resort’s sewerage system. The problem had become so severe that restaurant workers in the vicinity complained of losing patrons because of the foul smell.
“We definitely had some customers come in and asked what the smell was. I did not really know where it was coming from,” said Marysa Malone, manager of the Indigo Restaurant. “I also live in the neighborhood and I could smell it all the way at my house, so I knew that it was a neighborhood problem.
“They really need to do something about it and this time was not the first time that I smelled it. Apparently, last summer the same problem existed. But it was not as bad. We are not sure if the heat is playing a factor.”
Ms. Malone said many of her customers were also worried about possible health risks.
She was not the only resident who voiced concern to The Bahama Journal about the odor. Reno Forbes, a resident of Hampshire Street said that he is aggravated that the resort has done nothing to notify residents and businesses of the problem and what is being done to tackle it.
Mr. Forbes was concerned about his family’s health.
“I am a resident of this area, and I can safely say that the odor has been terrible for my family,” he said. “The odor is worse at night when you are driving home. The air is still but the smell is potent as if all the waste is coming out of the ground or wherever they are storing it.
“With this area being so high profile, it should not be this way. In fact, it should not smell like that nowhere in the country, especially not in a tourist area.
“I do not know what else to say about it. It is just horrible and has been going on for a while. Not one person from the hotel has come or made an announcement to me or my family.”
But resort officials said they were doing everything in their power to rectify the problem.
Peter Brower, hotel manager, said that although there have been no complaints from resort patrons, the resort is dealing with the matter expeditiously.
“It is a problem that we have had for a couple of days now. One of the two pumps that keep the water oxygenated went down and we have been unable to find a similar pump here in Nassau. So we are having one flown in from Miami today as we speak. We will have it installed sometime this afternoon,” Mr. Brower told The Bahama Journal on Friday.
“As far as I know it is not affecting the guests at all. We have had no complaints from any guests so far. It is just something that is very unfortunate. It was a mechanical failure. But we are dealing with it as expeditiously as we can.
“I have been notified that there has been some complaints from neighbors and businesses, and I sincerely apologize for that. Unfortunately, it was something that could not have been foreseen.”
Workers at another restaurant in the area, also said he had received countless complaints from customers about the smell over the last few days.
“What ever they can do about the situation they need to handle it as soon as possible because customers are complaining a lot, especially those who have to walk from the hotel to pick up their orders,” said Kareem Brancaccio, manager of Domino’s Pizza.
“I even believe that the smell might be turning some of our customers away, but if it was me, I would not want to go to a restaurant where I smell something that smells awful. I would think that it might be coming from the restaurant.”
The sewer system in question is located immediately across the street from the resort, between the Cable Beach Post Office and the West Bay Shopping Plaza.
By: Perez Clarke, The Bahama Journal
