A freshwater spring was discovered at the site during a hydro-geological study and later, when construction started, pipes were laid to channel the water to the western watercourse.

Subsurface water in the ecologically fragile Scotland District, located on the eastern side of Barbados, is dangerous because it triggers massive landslides which destroy road networks and other infrastructure.

The alleged presence of five underground springs at Greenland was the major plank on which environmentalists campaigned against the siting of the island’s next landfill in this area which is part of a designated national park. Residents of the area consistently said underground springs existed but statements from ministry officials over the years did not confirm the presence of springs. A high level source who was associated with the project told the SUNDAY Sun about the discovery of the spring. Goddard disavowed knowledge of any such springs being found and said he was unable to intelligently comment on the matter immediately, but said he would launch a probe.

“This is serious business and I do not want to debate it in the Press. I want to do it in-house, and I will summon a meeting with every single individual involved in it and get to the bottom of it,” said Goddard, who took over the project last year when he was appointed minister.

Farmer Richard Goddard, who leads the fight against Greenland, and who is the minister’s cousin, said he learnt from workmen who were drilling bore holes in 1995 that they found water and he raised the matter at a meeting of the Peer Review Committee, but it appeared to have been ignored. A second source, who was a member of the project team, also informed the Sun that the presence of ground water posed a problem for them, and it led to a vigorous in-house discussion, especially among the Canadian engineers of Stanley Associates which was contracted to design the facility. That source said the engineers were concerned because the Canadian engineering code prohibited them from constructing a landfill on top of a water table. They got around this because the code of Alberta (their city) allowed it only if it was a certain level above the stream.