NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Providence Advisors/Waste Resources Development Group (WRDG) Consortium, a “wholly owned” Bahamian group, was announced as the “Selected Bidder” for the investment and management services relating to the deconstruction, remediation and operation of the New Providence Sanitary Landfill.
Minister of the Environment and Housing, the Hon. Romauld Ferreira, Wednesday (August 29, 2018) presented the principals of the consortium with a Letter of Award in accordance with the Terms and Conditions set out in the Request for Proposal (RFP) issued November, 2017. (The Presentation took place at the offices of the Ministry of the Environment and Housing).
The RFP extended “invitations for expressions of interest for the potential investment and management services relating to the deconstruction, remediation and operation of the New Providence Sanitary Landfill at the Tonique Williams-Darling Highway.”
Providence Advisors/WRDG has seven days to confirm their acceptance of the Letter of Award.
“Once they confirm their acceptance, we can begin to negotiate the Terms and Conditions of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the management and operation of the Landfill,” Minister Ferreira said.
The two sides are expected to finalize details relating to the turnover of the Landfill Site; reporting and accounting mechanisms; costs; equipment and security of site, etc., during negotiations.
Once underway, negotiations are expected to be completed within 30 days, soon after which the management and operation of the New Providence Sanitary Landfill will be turned over to Providence Advisors/WRDG.
Minister Ferreira said the occasion was a “Watershed Moment.”
“Today is a good day for us here at the Ministry of the Environment and Housing as we are able to realize one of our major goals – that of entering into an agreement for the private operation and management of the New Providence Landfill.
“It is no secret that the New Providence Landfill has been plagued with intermittent fires,” Minister Ferreira continued, “we all remember the massive fire in March, 2017, that burned for almost three weeks. The fire caused an Evacuation Order, and displacement of Jubilee gardens residents, and utilized much of the resources of the Bahamian people. It also sparked a great outcry for a resolution to this vexing problem.”
Minister Ferreira said on June 1, 2017, the Government of The Bahamas issued a Press Statement conveying its short and long-term goals to address the challenges and remediate the Landfill. One of its short-term goals, was to issue a new Request for Proposal (RFP) for the management of the entire site.
“In November, 2017, invitations for expressions of interest for the potential investment and management services relating to the deconstruction, remediation and operation of the New Providence Sanitary Landfill at the Tonique Williams-Darling Highway was published in the local newspapers and an RFP issued on February 7, 2018,” Minister Ferreira said.
“This began the process that brought us to where we are today. The Ministry of the Environment and Housing is pleased to announce that the Selected Bidder for the investment and management services relating to the deconstruction, remediation and operation of the New Providence Landfill is Providence Advisors/WRDG Consortium,” Minister Ferreira added.
