It's a Sad, Sad Situation...

August 2000 Table of Contents

IT'S A SAD, SAD SITUATION...
by Jack Hardy

A quarter of a century ago there was a need for agricultural labourers on Abaco. The Haitians who responded to the call were permitted to look after themselves in an area lying in the heart of the present Marsh Harbour. Because the harbour had been dredged and the swampy area filled with mud, the area became known simply as The Mud. Later, an area to the west was also occupied and called Pigeon Pea.

Haitian labourers played their part in the miracle that turned Abaco into the top Out Island tourist destination. Many gained citizenship and their children went to school with Bahamian children. Compared to their situation in Haiti, people of Haitian descent prospered. Thousands of dollars were sent back to family members in Haiti to alleve their plight.

There was a problem, however. The Mud and Pigeon Pea areas were never planned for a housing development. There was no water and no electricity. More importantly, there were no sanitation provisions. Although some houses are very respectable, the majority of the dwellings leave much to be desired. They are also built very close together and the Pigeon Pea fire in April brought home the futility of the situation.

The residents of Marsh Harbour who live around The Mud and Pigeon Pea and nearby businesses are understandably apprehensive of the unknown population which leads a totally alien life within these confines. Although there is no evidence that Haitians contribute to crime statistics beyond their numbers, there have been several instances of Bahamians committing robberies and taking refuge in Pigeon Pea or The Mud, thwarting efforts by police to apprehend them. When faced by authority, Haitians tend to regress in their command of the English language.

I know this first hand because a few years ago I was appointed by the National Insurance Board to assist in a survey. I did the best I could and was very well received by many people who recognised me as the teacher of their children. In fact, the children assisted me in getting information from their parents. But there wasn't much information to get. No Haitian woman would give any details about her man and no matter what hour of day or night I called, very few men could be found. It occurred to me that a committee in Nassau had looked at a map of Marsh Harbour and, taking a central bias, had selected Pigeon Pea as being representative of Marsh Harbour. I must be honest with you: when it rained and Pigeon Pea was flooded, I refused to carry on with the survey.

This brings to light another fear of Marsh Harbour people. The word cholera strikes fear into the hearts of Bahamians because virtually every long-established settlement has a separate cholera graveyard. An area where several thousand people live without sanitation facilities raises that spectre.

Now the social side. Every Marsh Harbour resident knows at least a Haitian or two intimately, sometimes many. I know of several Abaconians who have established relationships with immigrants who started off as being gardeners or housekeepers and are now almost members of the family. The problem is, its hard to reciprocate visits to them because of the primitive conditions in which they live.

The initiative by Yvonne Key and the Marsh Harbour Township Committee (see Radio Abaco News) is both bad and good. It is bad because of the time frame set for the evacuation of Pigeon Pea. Central government has not yet provided the infrastructure for people to move into the new development set out for Haitians near Cabbage Point. Although the price of lots will be very cheap, we are dealing with people who are unsophisticated in such areas as land purchase and legal house construction and who will need a great deal of assurance before committing themselves. This is where the Haitian government, through its consulate, can act as intermediary to guide Haitians through the process. Haitians, as a rule, are understandably cautious about Bahamian government plans for them.

The initiative by Yvonne Key and the Marsh Harbour Township Committee is also good. In the year 2000 on Abaco, no person should be living in the refugee-type squalor of The Mud and Pigeon Pea. Everybody lamented the damage wrought by Hurricane Floyd. Months later, when rebuilding had been completed, many private individuals and businessmen confessed that Floyd had been a blessing in disguise. Floyd made them upgrade their situation. Perhaps the storm ahead of the Haitian population of Pigeon Pea will be looked upon in the same way some time in the future. A blessing in disguise.

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