The fire at Pembroke dump destroyed the faith that residents of a badly-affected neighbourhood had in the political system, according to the Opposition candidate running for office there.Scott Stewart of the One Bermuda Alliance is competing against Walter Roban, the sitting MP for the Progressive Labour Party in the Pembroke East constituency.In a statement yesterday, Mr Stewart said: “As I have canvassed in my area, Constituency 15, during the last few weeks, residents have told me that the Pembroke dump fires of the last few years, and the Government’s promises to do something about them, all so far broken, are destroying their faith in the political system. They are telling me that they now have little faith in the political process. Many have decided that going to the polls is an exercise in futility.”A huge blaze broke out at the dump, which stores horticultural waste, on March 29. Government has said the cause remains undetermined. There was also a large blaze at the facility in 2007. In both cases, local residents were affected by the smoke and soot.Mr Stewart said: “The psychological trauma and cost of having to clean homes and roofs in the wake of the smoke and soot damage from the most recent fire, which was so serious that firemen, police and soldiers from the Bermuda Regiment had to turn out to avert the threat that the fire might spread to nearby homes and businesses, are going to be with my constituents for a very long time. There is the fear that one day they will not be so lucky and will lose everything they have worked so hard for all their lives, if not their lives.”Criticising Mr Roban, he said: “Constituency 15 has a ‘professional politician’ representing them at the moment who is not putting the safety of the constituents first. He is not interested in creating a beautiful park in this area but seems content to allow it to continue to be a dangerous eyesore. They are not blind to the significance of the fact that he seems to care so little about such matters that he tried to enable one of his fellow Cabinet colleagues to develop the Devonshire Marsh as an industrial zone.”Last November, environmental advocacy group BEST voiced concern that Public Works Minister Mr Roban had, on his last day as Environment Minister, upheld a planning appeal launched by his Cabinet colleague Zane DeSilva in relation to a proposal to construct warehouses at Devonshire Marsh.It later emerged Mr Roban also upheld the planning appeal of his party colleague Wayne Furbert over property Mr Furbert owned in Hamilton Parish. That decision too was made on his last day in the Environment job. Mr Roban resigned his new position as Minister of Public Works due to the controversy over the appeals. New Minister Marc Bean said they would be reviewed afresh.Mr Scott said of Mr Roban: “I challenge him to persuade the Government to get busy on this plan of theirs to stop fires on the dump for good. I challenge him to demonstrate for the residents of Constituency 15, and the other constituencies that border the Marsh Folly area, that he can get things done for them.“In the absence of any such activity, I hope he will forgive the residents if they conclude there is no plan, and that talk of one was just another attempt at election time to appease the voters and maintain the status quo.”The Royal Gazette invited Mr Roban to comment. He referred our inquiries to PLP press officer Curtis Williams, who said: “The Progressive Labour Party is wholly satisfied that the Government handled the Marsh Folly dump fire with the utmost professionalism.“In addition, we are satisfied that the Government continues to manage the affairs of the country, with seriousness, protecting the people and the environment in an exemplary manner. We find it deplorable that the One Bermuda Alliance yet again, tries to play politics with a serious issue and tries to manufacture controversy simply to get attention.”