Abaco Oil Spill Threatens Harbour

Over 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from the deck of the MV Legacy into the sea while the vessel was moored at the government dock in Marsh Harbour yesterday morning. The atmosphere surrounding the harbour was thick with the diesel odour into the early evening

An oil tank owned by Bahamas Electricity Corporation rolled over, landing on a metal guardrail which punctured two holes in the tank, spilling the fuel and fouling the waters of one of the Bahamas' most beautiful harbours.

Containment procedures have already begun but there is real concern about the damage this can do to the maritime life in the harbour; the yachting trade, the seabirds, and the fish in the harbour.

Captain Cyril Roker, port director, claims that the spill was an "unavoidable accident" and not due to negligence or carelessness of the workers. The tank was being repositioned when the accident occurred. Maybe it could have been avoided if the port were better equipped, or the crew had more experience in handling such a large and potentially hazardous cargo. The method used to ship and handle these tanks need to be reevaluated.

Police Have Egg on Face As Dangerous Prisoners Escape

Two armed robbery suspects escaped from a prison bus yesterday and fled on foot as onlookers watched in shock. The bus was parked at the compound between the Nassau Street Police Station and the Magistrate's Courts on Nassau Street, a few blocks away from tourist-filled Bay Street.

At least two witnesses say the two men broke the iron mesh at the rear of the vehicle after several minutes of banging and commotion inside the bus. They say the two men ran in different directions after escaping. One witness said, "That bus was unattended for the longest (time)".

Embarrassed police officials deny that, saying there was a prisoner escort on the bus at the time and that it had not been left unattended. The police also claim the two prisoners were handcuffed together and could not have run in different directions. Who ya gonna believe?

More Police Discrepancies

The inquest into the extra-judicial killing of Jerome Mackey resumed yesterday for the first time since the new year began. Constable Ricardo Neely of the mobile patrol unit testified that Mr. Mackey did indeed have a gun the night of December 6, 2002, when he was shot and killed following a confrontation with police officers. The killing sparked a riot involving hundreds of residents of the Kemp Road area, in which several police officers were injured and several government vehicles were damaged.

The problem is that Officer Neely's testimony contradicts witness testimony and even his own his written report filed back in 2002. Neely now claims he had a flashlight, saw Mr. Mackey pull a gun from his waistband, warned his partner that Mr. Mackey was armed and fired a warning shot into the air.

Coroner William Campbell highlighted the fact that in his initial report, Mr. Neely had made no mention of using a flashlight, shouting to his partner that Mackey was in possession of a gun, ejecting a live round of ammunition at the scene, or hearing the deceased speak before he died.

Neely dismissed the discrepancies saying he was under stress at the time he filed his original report and was not "in the right state of mind."

Officer Neely has yet to undergo questioning by the attorney representing the Mackey family.

"Please Send Us Some Water"

A 76 year-old resident of Sweetings Cay is publicly pleading for someone to send water to the cay.

"Some of us have gone days without a drop of water", he said. "We need water. Somebody, anybody, we need water. Please send us some water."

Ever since the twin hurricanes, Frances and Jeanne, destroyed the lone source of fresh water on the cay, residents have been without fresh water.

Health Minister Dr. Marcus Bethel visited the cay three weeks ago and promised to relieve the suffering of residents with respect to the water dilemma. But, as the thirsty resident says, "Its been three weeks and nothing has happened yet."

Several of the 170 residents of the cay are elderly persons, some are ill and the lack of fresh water is taking its toll.

The government is still trying to deal with a severe water shortage in Nassau which has left most of the capital rationing water for the past four months and some people with almost no water at all. Sadly, fresh water has become a luxury item. We'll probably have to start paying a luxury tax on it.