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Alex Courtenay reporting
Two weeks ago Steve Bradley of Bradley's Boat Yard was the victim of arson, which resulted in severe damage to two of his most used boat moulds. When we spoke to Bradley after the incident he told us that he suspected foul play by one of residents of the area, who have been in opposition to the business relocating there. Well today some of the residents of Burrell Boom, specifically an association named the Burrell Boom Protectors, held a press conference condemning the act, but also to voice their concerns about having the boat yard so near to where they live…

Daren Stuart
"And I hope that when we leave from here today and after the viewing public have heard these pleas and call that they will raise the awareness and say to the department of environment and the department of health and to all those concern - no to any fiberglass and we are not targeting specifically Mr. Bradley's Boatyard, but any fiberglass facilities whatsoever within residential area within our country, it is not healthy, it is not good for anyone and I am seeking each and every one of your support for it."

Fiberglass is known to irritate the skin on contact, but is it really so dangerous that so many people should be up in arms about the boatyard moving in next to them? Well according to the research done by one of the Burrell Boom Protectors, fiberglass can affect people with asthma and can even be linked to cancer.

Caroline Craig, Burrell Boom Protector
"Research has shown that workers in fiberglass facilities who were wearing the proper gear has suffered from plural diseases, lung fibrosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma and in women even ovarian cancer. I am not sure of you are aware, but mesothelioma has been associated to asbestos and fiberglass is predicted to have the same outcome that asbestos has."

And now with such seemingly dangerous material being used, one would expect the Department of the Environment or the Ministry of Health to be involved. Well according to the Burrell Boom Protectors, Bradley has not yet received the proper certification to set up shop in the area…

Maria Marcel, Burrell Boom Protector
"We then checked with DOE to find out that there was no clearance or Bradley had done no request to DOE and then I stated to go to the different entities like DOH, Rural Development DAVCO. We also spoke to the chairlady of the village council whereby she stated that she was send by some individual and she has to do what she has to do. I therefore started to go Belmopan and lobbied with the different entities. I met with them, spoke with them and as of now, nothing has, no clearance has been given to Mr. Bradley, but he has been building rapidly and he has workers coming to his place every day and we are very concern because of the fiberglass."

We spoke to Bradley earlier today and he confirmed that he is in fact in the process of acquiring a permit from the DOE. However, the Protectors say that he should not be able to get the certification, citing the DOE's guidelines of fiberglass facilities.

Ryan Craig, Burrell Boom Protector
"We spoke to Mr. Alegria the CEO of DOE and he had been receiving half information about what is going on in Burrell Boom. For example, he was under the information that Mr. Bradley has this boatyard for over a period of time and is just starting to use it. When he was told that this was not the case, he actually purchase land in this year and it was in a residential area and one of the guideline is that fiberglass shouldn't be within 200 yards or 200 feet of the nearest water supply. We have right across from this boatyard - its original name is "Baboon Creek," most people know it as Johnny Pond and this is literally across. We did an online measurement and it stated his location from where it is about 175 feet. That's even less than the barrier it should be."

When we spoke to Bradley earlier he also mentioned that no work is currently being done at the new site in Burrell Boom, nor was any being done at the time of the fire.