The Editor speaks: Is the dump fire the writing on the wall?

It seems that 2020 has turned in to a
very bad start for the “Unity” government headed by premier Alden
McLaughlin.
When the premier arrogantly said it
would take a miracle for the cruise berthing facility not to proceed
I took him to task and pointed out to him “miracles do happen”.
To date, the much heralded Referendum
on the port project hasn't happened.
The promise from the premier that the
dump problem, when he headed the Progressives PPM Government, would
be tackled and put to bed hasn't happened.
He promised it again when he headed the
Unity government, and it seemed a deal had been reached with Dart.
Then, without any reason being given, the much heralded Waste
Management project was delayed, however, with a promise work would
start on it by January, 2020.
It is now March 2020 and that promise
has gone up in flames with the seemingly continuous incidents of
fires at the Mount Trashmore, George Town Dump.
With the continual boasting of how well
the economy is doing one would think that someone in authority, the
Premier (?) would be pushing some of that revenue into the most
important problem we have.
The Dump!
How many more fires will occur there
before someone acts instead of patting himself on the back? This
present fire has made the public furious and everyone is wondering
why it is taking so long for action?
Successive governments have promised
solutions and now our patience is exhausted.
There hasn't been any word from the
premier or his minister giving us the usual calming assurances with
the surrounding gobbledegook, that all will be well. Just be patient.
It appears now, the port project is on
the back burner and the burning fire is the dump.
The Department of Environmental Health
has continued to show its inability to deal with the ever increasing
problems there and this fire is being blamed on the wind.
The only people coming out of this mess
with a pat on the back is our Fire Service crew who have worked
through the night trying to contain the blazes that pop up from the
increasing hot spots.
Now we also have a possible health
problem and people living close by are being advised to close doors
and windows and monitor air conditioning units for smoke intake. Two
shelters had to be opened yesterday when the smoke was so dense you
couldn't see!
A major road had to be closed along
with schools and the smoke is still polluting the atmosphere.
The premier seems to think the only incredible thing that has happened since he has been in charge is his port berthing facility hasn't gone ahead.
He has spent nine million dollars on it
to date and those monies would most definitely been better used on a
permanent solution to the dump.We have seen now all that money go up
in smoke and not from the fires at the dump.
Premier, Alden McLaughlin, the writing
is definitely out on your wall, even if the dump fire still isn't
out.
Published March 9, 2020
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