The Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce worked along with the business community, local government, and a contractor from the area to clean up three areas that had been used for indiscriminate dumping in East Grand Bahama.
Rudy Sawyer, operator of Blue Green Outdoors, a nature-based company offering land and sea based tours in the East End, coordinated the effort. “East End of Grand Bahama is well known for its rich ecological attributes,” Mr Sawyer said, “and it is unfortunate when this is spoilt by human action, as in this case, indiscriminate dumping.”
Local contractor Mr Alfred Higgs of McLean’s Town was engaged to carry out the removal of the debris that had been dumped along side roads in the eastern district, moving it to the designated waste processing site in the area.
The Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce helped coordinate the funding for the project from among four of its members, namely: Pharmachem Technologies G.B. Ltd; Bradford Marine Bahamas; Bahamian Brewery & Beverages Ltd; and, Freeport Ship Services Ltd.
Local Government practitioners for the area — the Deputy Chief Councilor and township representative for McLean’s Town, Mr. Daniel Bain; Mr. Wilton Thomas, township representative; Mr. Marcus Cooper, Chief Councilor; and, Mr. Harvey Roberts, Administrator for the East — all inspected the area with me after the job was reported completed by the contractor.
ABOUT THE GRAND BAHAMA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce has worked to provide the network, to sustain, promote and support business development in an effort to encourage growth and expansion in the Grand Bahama economy and within a healthy and clean community environment for more than 36 years. It is a voluntary organisation of individuals and businesses that band together to advance the commercial, financial, industrial, civic, interests of a community. The Chamber provides frequent workshops, business-focused meetings, and conclaves with local stakeholders and the government, working to effect change within local and national issue, and to present a united front for the benefit of all members. The Chamber functions through standing committees mandated to address key areas of interest for business. As a not-for-profit organisation, financing the Chamber’s costs is on a voluntary basis, apportioned among its members, consisting of firms and individuals on Grand Bahama. More can be learned at the Chamber’s website, gbchamber.org.
Donors and members of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce present a cheque to an East Grand Bahama local government representative to support the clean-up effort. Pictured (L-R): Dan Romence, vice president, Bradford Marine Bahamas; Jeremy Cafferata, president, Freeport Ship Services; Tracey Coffey, executive assistant, PharmaChem; Don Delahey, general manager, Bahamian Brewery; Marcus Cooper, East End Councilor; Donna Laing-Jones, GB Chamber Membership Committee; and, Rudy Sawyer, operator, Blue Green Outdoors.
In this photo taken before the cleanup, piles of garbage, appliances and derelict videos are shown strewn in the wooded areas off the main roads of the area.
AFTER
After the cleanup in East Grand Bahama, the forest areas were left in their more natural state, removing the hazardous, environmental damaging and unsightly debris.
