Minister of the Environment Kenred Dorsett yesterday said residents of the communities that surround the New Providence Landfill will have to endure the smoky conditions for some time as he admitted that the solutions to prevent the frequent fires at the site won't come overnight. The dump has been burning since last month and the smoke from the fire, as it has done over the years, continues to cover nearby neighborhoods.

"We have now engaged a scientific team that will come in so that we could move on to the next stage of systematically ensuring that the gas is extracted from the landfill to mitigate against future fires," Dorsett said. "But as I continue to tell residents including those who are in my constituency, because they are impacted too, were a stone's throw away from the landfill, it's not going to be something that is going to be corrected overnight. It will take some time and it will take considerable investment to do so."

Renew Bahamas President and CEO Gerhard Beukes said last week the company has undertaken several measures to significantly reduce fires, but it could be several years before the site's "historical problems" are eliminated. Renew Bahamas manages the site.

Several irate Jubilee Gardens residents spoke out on the issue on Tuesday and called for action. One such resident, Glemis Fernander, said she has had to leave her home to seek refuge from the smoke several times.

"We've had enough of this smoke," Fernander said. "Everybody is sick and has health issues now. We need the government to assist us in the back here with this health hazard. I had a situation where I had to leave in the middle of the night and find someone to stay by for that night. We need an alternative when the dump is burning, a place for us to be. This is crazy."

Dorsett said there is no easy solution.

"There continues to be subsurface fires over the more than 100 acres of landfill that has been there for the past 40 years," he said. "The challenge is whenever the surface is disrupted and oxygen gets into that environment, it causes the combustion and therefore some fires are lit. We also have the issue of arson, which is ongoing."

Dorsett said he recognizes that hundreds of families and businesses are impacted. He said the government is committed to addressing the issue once and for all. In a statement on Tuesday, Renew Bahamas said it empathizes with the residents.

"The company is focusing all efforts to cover down a small angled area along the southern flank, which is producing light and thin smoke," Renew Bahamas said. "This particular area is proving challenging to tackle, given its height and angle of descent. This area will continue to produce diminishing levels of smoke until fully covered down and eradicated."

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