This comes after an intensive refurbishment and transformation of the dock. It now features 12-inch curbing, road markings and ‘curve’ signage, cat’s eye reflectors, bright overhead lights and fencing, prohibiting motorists from accessing the inter-island terminal at night and forcing them to access that area on foot.
Following a number of vehicles going over the dock’s edge, the most recent in July, when an elderly couple and their nephew drowned, the Ministry of Transport and Aviation moved to improve safety at the dock.
From Saturday to Monday, the Road Runner Company was observed using its 30-ton crane to fish out rusty old fenders, wooden poles and parts from old boats that had accumulated for years on the seabed.
Another truck could be seen with piles of wood and decayed, broken pieces of material from boats. According to a worker, Torry Bethel, the truck was transporting the rubble to the Harold Road dumpsite.
On Monday, the company also demolished and transported debris from a building on Bay Street that went up in flamese last month. The building, supposedly owned by Betty Kenning, had been in a deplorable state for some time and is considered one of many thorns in the side of the Bay Street tourist product.
Most recently, the ministry issued a statement to the Kenning family to either remove or renovate the building immediately, as it poses a health and safety hazard to the neighbouring buildings and other Bahamians that frequent that area.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Parliamentary Secretary with the Ministry of Health Ron Pinder said the ministry had become increasingly concerned about the unsightliness of abandoned buildings and the negative and unsightly impact they had on the environment.
“Oftentimes, homeless people use these buildings to sleep in. As we have seen in recent times, a number of fires have started in abandoned buildings because of the garbage accumulated and people either lighting fires to keep warm, to cook food or for light, or even to smoke their drugs,” he said. “This has caused added concern.”
Following the interview, Mr. Pinder opted to begin the ministry’s effort to target residential areas with abandoned buildings and dilapidated vehicles.
This is the first time that a Bahamaas government has been able to implement plans to renovate the busy terminal and open-air market.
After facing escalating concerns over security, health, vehicular traffic and safety, previous governments had made plans to renovate the dock, but had never succeeded in implementing their plans.
In 1991, a serious outbreak of conch poisoning led to the temporary closure of the market. At that time, more than 1,000 people were hospitalised from eating bacteria-infected conch, which was washed in polluted waters around the Paradise Island Bridge.
By Khashan Poitier, The Nassau Guardian
