Crackdown Intensifies as Govt. Targets Derelict Vehicles, Illegal Dumping

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NASSAU , BAHAMAS – A crackdown on derelict vehicles and illegal dumping is set to intensify, with the Ministry of Environment targeting abandoned vehicles and scrapyards that pose a threat to their communities.

Environment and Natural Resources Minister Zane Lightbourne telling reporters on Tuesday morning that the government has taken several steps to ramp up enforcement, including acquiring land and implementing spot fines.

Derelict cars and roadside garages — an issue Bahamians have dealt with for years — have become eyesores in some residential communities, while also posing environmental and safety risks.

Environment and Natural Resources Minister Zane Lightbourne said that the government has acquired land to begin working with some businesses to relocate scrap vehicles.

Zane Lightbourne – Minister, Environment and Natural Resources

“We’ve targeted two. We’ve met with Strachan’s Auto already and the owner of that one, which is not only an eyesore, but also a threat in terms of the environment. That’s right in a neighborhood with potential dangers. We have also targeted the scrap metal facility on Farrington Road and a few others. We are looking at four of the bigger ones to move out of the community.”

Our Joshua, reached out to Strachan’s Auto for comment, but those calls remained unanswered.

When it comes to the environmental impact scrapyards have on communities, Lightbourne had this to say.

Zane Lightbourne – Minister, Environment and Natural Resources

“We don’t want liquids from the cars going into any of the wetland areas in the nearby facilities we identify. We want to make sure that the necessary infrastructure is in place, including roads, electricity and water, so we can have a proper facility for these types of businesses.”

Now, a common complaint from residents has been that environmental officials often turn them away, or in some cases instruct them to call law enforcement to file official complaints — complaints that often lead nowhere.

Zane Lightbourne – Minister, Environment and Natural Resources

“Wildlife Enforcement and Environmental officers are an arm of law enforcement that investigates infractions. Persons can report matters to the Ministry of Environment, but the ministry is supposed to ensure those lines of communication happen. They are responsible for informing people who to contact and for investigating and contacting the necessary law enforcement agencies.”

But that’s not all.

Zane Lightbourne – Minister, Environment and Natural Resources

“On persons who have this habit of criminal activity by dumping cars and littering the environment with unsightly and environmentally hazardous materials, we are now, in this budget, imposing spot fines through the Ministry of Environment and the Department of Environmental Health.”