The employees and staff of Columbus Tavern are voicing complaints on the pollution of the water behind their restaurant on Paradise Island.
The employees have claimed that a stench frequently emanates from water being pumped to a building facility next to it.
“There’s just a strange stench and we want to know where it’s coming from and why,” said an employee. The employee went on to say that due to the construction a white film remained in the water near the restaurant for a very long time until quite recently.
“No film would just sit like that without dissolving after a period of time.”
She said that there must be some explanation as to what is going on with the developments on the island because guests have recently been complaining in large numbers about the smell of fumes and the pollution.
“I love development, but this is just massive and its uncomfortable.”
The major development on the eastern side of the island has caused residents in the past to also voice concerns about murky water, pollution, constant noise and diesel fumes that are making the world-renowned island a very unpleasant place to live.
Many of the temporary residents of the island said that they are not planning to return, due to their unpleasant stay. “It’s called Paradise Island but from the looks of things, this is definitely not paradise,” a resident said. He said that his stay has been completely unpleasant and states that although he has been coming there for 20 years, he may not return next year. “If you are coming to smell, diesel fumes, see dirty water and hear constant noise, well it’s the place to be,” he said sarcastically.
He said that the work on the site begins as early as seven in the morning and usually ends 12 hours later.
However, residents are more concerned about the fact that the polluted water is affecting the colour of the ocean as well as many yachts in the area.
A yacht owner told The Guardian that the pollutants in the water clog the air-conditioning vents of the yachts. Many of them have even given up hope on finding a solution to the problem.
By VIRAJ PERPALL, Nassau Guardian Staff Reporter
