BVI News

Abattoir’s cistern undergoing maintenance — Agriculture Director

The Agriculture Department has moved to repair a faulty cistern at the Paraquita Bay abattoir after water shortages forced a halt in operations, affecting farmers’ ability to supply meat to the market.

The news comes in the wake of reports that the abbatoir has not been receiving running water for several weeks and was forced to close its doors to livestock farmers in the territory.

Director of Agriculture Theodore James said he became aware earlier this week that the facility had no water and immediately sought answers from the relevant authorities.

“I received information on Monday of this week that there was no water at the abattoir, and immediately I inquired from the Water and Sewage Department as to why there was no water in Paraquita Bay,” James explained.

He noted that the initial issue stemmed from a broken pipe in the area. However, further checks revealed that the abattoir’s own water storage system had also been compromised.

“Upon the depletion of water with our reserve, we realised that we also had issues with our capacity to retain water,” James stated.

The cistern, which stores water for facility operations, was found to have a leak. Repairs were initiated immediately after the issue was identified.

“Right now, as of today, we do have the contractor who’s finishing the repairs on the cistern,” James stated. .

According to James, the goal is to ensure that once the water supply is restored to the area, the facility will be better equipped to store and retain it.

He indicated that water should be restored to the cistern by the end of the week, allowing operations at the abattoir to resume shortly after.

“Hopefully, by Friday, we will have water in the cistern ready to go for operations come Monday, Tuesday next week,” James stated.

The abattoir is a key part of the territory’s local food supply chain, supporting farmers in meeting demand from supermarkets and other outlets.

Share the news

Copyright 2026 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

11 Comments

Disclaimer: BVI News and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the comments below or other interaction among the users.

  1. Smh says:

    These jokers! Pathetic leadership

    Like 14
  2. Hole in bucket says:

    Send for BVI electricity both!

  3. concern says:

    there are citizens in Paraquita Bay without not a drop of water for 5 weeks now and no one is saying anything. how can this be. like we are back in the stone age. it is shameful

    Like 10
    • to concern says:

      In the stoneage or yester-years, we were better off than now because at least the citizens knew where the wells and springs were located throughout the island and we could have gone and catch any water in abundance. Plus we had out own little home-made catchments for rain water. We did not have water in pipes but we were never out of water and we never suffered like this.

  4. THERE'S NO BACKUP IN PLACE says:

    SONWHAT XAN WE EXPECT ? THE JOKERS WHO DON’T KNOW ( B ) FROM BULLS FOOT IS IN CHARGE WE SHOULD NOT BE SUPPRISED. AND WE ALL KNOW THIS IS THE NORM , ARE FAR AS LACK OF WATER IS CONCERNED ITS JUST BUSINESS IS CONCERNED / AND THE XAN EITH HIS EIG ONLY BLAMING THE WHITE COLONIALIST SLAVE MASTERS FOR EVERYTHING THAT THESE HOLY INDIGENOUS VIRGIN LANDERS AE DOING TO THEIR OWN PEOPLE ; BUT THE NERD WON’T COMMENT ON THINGS LIKE THIS / BUT HE WANTS YO TAKE OVER THE 3RD DISTRICT; IF HE MANAGE TO BUY YHE PEOPLE WITH HIS HAND OUTS ; IT WILL WORSE THAN BEFORE , BUGS BUNNY AIN’T GOT NOTHING DONE AND THIS HIPPO IS JUST GULL OC HIMSELF, SO IT WILL BE FREE THE DREW – FREE THE WEED – FREE INDEPENDENCE – AND WAR ON THE WHITE COLONIALIST SLAVE MASTERS IS ALL HE WILL BE BLOGGING ON BOTH SITES USING DIFFERENT NAMES TO DECIEVE US …

  5. Guest says:

    Agriculture Director Theodore James’ account gives the impression that the cistern simply ran dry over the weekend and, thanks to his prompt inquiry on Monday, the matter is now being handled with urgency. Yet farmers have been reporting for weeks that the abattoir had no running water and could not operate. How does a critical facility in the national food supply chain go without water for that long without the Director noticing? Where was the monitoring, the reporting, the supervision, and the basic operational oversight? The real issue isn’t just a leaking cistern. It’s the governance gap that allowed the situation to deteriorate until farmers were forced to raise the alarm publicly. That is the conundrum that needs addressing if public confidence in the system is to be restored.

    Like 12
  6. Changes needed says:

    The director is a l**r. Their no food security for the BVI with this guy involved, a director that doesn’t give a s**t and a PS who doesn’t have a clue. We a domed.

    • Who to Blame says:

      So is it the director’s fault that farmers are not planting, or is it the Water and Sewerage Department’s fault for not providing consistent water to the farmers? I heard the farmers in Paraquita Bay get free water and don’t pay to use the land. What more taxpayers’ money do farmers need to run their enterprise?

  7. Shift change says:

    Responsibility is with the director. Agriculture is stagnant again. I am afraid someone else will be worse.

  8. Local says:

    He would have been better off not saying anything at all, than the crappy he just spouted. No water in the whole of Parry but you just found out Monday? Don’t you have an office with a bathroom on the grounds? You haven’t been to work for 3-5 weeks until Monday? Your responses to the situation speaks of your lack of leadership ability and your inability to tell the truth and accept responsibility straight up!

  9. WEW says:

    UK watching ?

Leave a Comment