“When you are diving you feel the effects of sonar,” he said. “You hear a loud beep underwater and it gives you headaches and makes you feel really bad.
“And when you are down there, you can see the fish getting paranoid and running scared,” he added.
Mr Smith, who is also a Central Andros local government representative, added that he knew about 100 fishermen in the area who all complained about the sonar testing, which is reportedly conducted almost on a daily basis at AUTEC (Atlantic Undersea Test & Evaluation Center). Sam Duncombe, Director of the environmental Group, Re-Earth, also told a story about the negative effects of sonar, saying divers off Clifton Cay in southwest New Providence, some 20 miles from Andros, still complain of feeling nauseous and disorientated during tests.
In a 1996 study, the U.S.Navy found that low to mid-frequency sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging) testing was found to cause dizziness, memory loss and seizures in divers and interference with the auditory canals and brains of mammals. It is also known to cause fish eggs to burst.
According to Mr Smith, most of AUTEC’s retirees have been struck with cancer. He said that AUTEC uses radar at its four sites on the island: Cargill Creek, Big Wood Cay, Driggs Hill and its base near Fresh Creek.
However, U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Officer Michael Taylor said there was no evidence that residents in Central Andros had higher incidences of cancer than other Bahamians.
Not convinced, Mr Smith said very little is known about the operations at AUTEC to prove otherwise. He was involved in a five-hour demonstration outside the base on Thursday where he and 11 other protesters told their story to various news media houses.
Margo Blackwell, Director of The Bahamas Environmental Research Centre, said though the demonstration involved only 12 people, about 100 showed up throughout the day to show support.
“And (columnist) Nicki Kelly was dis-invited at 10 o’clock the night before (Wednesday),” she said. “I was dis-invited at 7 o’clock the night before by e-mail.”
The government reportedly receives about $10.8 million annually from AUTEC, with the contract up for renewal every 10 years, the next renewal date reportedly being January, 2007.
By: MINDELL SMALL, The Nassau Guardian
