Publication: Daily Nation
Paper Section And Page: 25
Paper Date: Thu, Jan 21, 2002
Byline:  

AUTHORITIES are watching the  practices of some quarry operators with some concern. Chief Technical Officer Cedric Archer revealed this at a Town Hall meeting held at the Belmont Primary School last Monday to discuss the Belle Environmental Study, which will look at the problems and solutions concerning the Belle Pumping Station which supplies water for 90 000 people in the island.

The study, which is expected to determine the level of current and projected risk of contamination of the groundwater supply and assess both the health and environmental risks, started on February 4 with the final report due to be handed in in six months. In answer to resident Robert Tudor who questioned how permission could be given to a leading construction company to dig up a pasture (Bradford) used as a sporting and recreational area in  the Belle, Archer said this sort of  activity was proving to be a problem across the island.

"Developers dig out marl and leave a big hole in the ground. After they [developers] have made their money they just leave a hole in the ground," Archer said adding that the time may have come for the Ministry of the Environment to become more involved. We have to address this problem, not only in the Belle but all over Barbados," he added.

The Chief Technical Officer pointed out that the Belle Environmental Study would serve Barbados well and would be used in areas other than the Belle. On the question of how permission could be given for the excavation of four quarries, Archer said he could not respond to this as permission could  only be given by the Town Planning Department.

One Belle Gully resident also complained that commercial and industrial trucks and other vehicles could often be seen dumping in the area.

"We have two landfills in Barbados, one in Mangrove, St Thomas, and one in our neighbourhood. There is dumping up there on a daily basis and nothing is being done by the authorities," she said.

She also called for the area to be debushed urgently saying in former days this was done.

"We might be poor but we are human beings living up here," she said.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works, Millicent Small, advised residents to pass on such information to the ministry as soon as they see  something suspicious.

"If you get the vehicle registration number, the time and the date, that will go a long way. As a licensing body we will be able to identify the vehicle, but nothing can be done if there is no licence number," she said.

However, residents said most of the dumping is done at night, making it  difficult for them to make out  registration numbers.