Another Air Force vet steps forward
By Tim Smith
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Looking out over the land in Southside where he used to dump waste materials, Andrew Moore remembers his service in Bermuda.
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Photo by Glenn Tucker
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A war veteran has flown to Bermuda from Texas as he builds his case for compensation amid allegations toxic waste was dumped at Kindley Air Force Base.
Andrew Moore, 64, believes his ill health has been brought on from his time as an air passenger specialist — whose job was to dump tons of human waste in a deep pit — at the US baselands in 1963-64.
Cancer victim Mr. Moore's concerns have grown since The Royal Gazette reported former serviceman Ronald Slater's claims that he knew of numerous barrels of lethal defoliant Agent Orange being dumped and burned in a Kindley pit from 1965 to 1967.
Other veterans have claimed substances such as mercury and hydrochloric acid were disposed of in the same manner.
Mr. Moore was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer five years ago; he has had surgery to remove a third of his stomach; and he has a history of lung problems including pneumonia. Like fellow cancer victim Mr. Slater, he is locked in a compensation battle with the US government.
During his trip to Bermuda, Mr. Moore has visited the former baselands, where he pointed to the spot he remembers dumping waste, which is now fenced off, and met Works and Engineering Permanent Secretary Robert Horton to discuss dealings between the States and Bermuda.
Recalling his days at Kindley, Mr. Moore told this newspaper he had to empty the "honey bucket" or toilet into a deep pit, and sometimes the waste would go over himself.
He said it was one of the worst jobs imaginable. He was aware the pit was used by other people dumping waste, and believes toxins were brought to the Island, but was not aware of any Agent Orange.
"I don't have the knowledge of what the results were after it was dumped, but I know that I did dump waste," said Mr. Moore.
"Some of the people I worked with dumped the same stuff as me, and it's possible other people dumped stuff in the pit as well."
Regarding Mr. Slater's claims, Mr. Moore said: "I think it's true. I'm in agreement as far as toxins being on the Island.
"One exception is that Slater said it was being burned. I remember stuff being thrown into the pit; as to what happened after that, I don't know.
"But I know this: I know we never filled it. If you keep dumping in it and it didn't fill it up, it's got to be going somewhere."
Mr. Moore also served in Texas during his four year military career. He says the only time he handled waste was when he was in Bermuda.
Following Mr. Slater's allegations last summer, then Works Minister Dennis Lister commissioned a report into the safety of the land at Kindley. Mr. Lister said on the report's completion: "Results do not suggest the presence of dioxin or Agent Orange to be a health risk."
However, months later, when Government finally released the report, the methods described to test the land raised questions from Mr. Slater. Mr. Moore has echoed his concern.
Although veterans say they poured waste into deep pits, the method used by A.L.S. Laboratory was to collect a sample from the top ten centimetres of the surface with a garden spade.
Mr. Slater and Mr. Moore say they would have needed to dig much deeper to carry out a proper test.
