Incinerator still defunct, | ‘consultancy issues’ plague scrubber installation
Officials are reporting that they are still experiencing difficulties installing the much-talked-about scrubber device needed to filter noxious fumes from the defunct incinerator in Pockwood Pond on Tortola.
Up to April during this year’s sitting of the Standing Finance Committee, Health Minister Carvin Malone said officials were unable to report on the progress of the scrubber installation because there were “issues with consultancy”.
He did not explain further.
The absence of the scrubber has been a major cause of discomfort for residents who said they have been experiencing health issues for the many years the device has been absent.
The issue was further compounded following the 2017 hurricanes when a higher volume of debris had to be incinerated at the waste facility.
READ: Health issues, why there hasn’t been a scrubber for years
However, nothing has been incinerated at the facility since last November when the incinerator burst into flames and went out of commission altogether.
Minister Malone said the government has now approved funds to repair the control panel of the incinerator and to conduct the electrical works needed for the facility to be functional once more.
Malone, who only inherited responsibility for the incinerator when he became portfolio minister earlier this year, did not disclose the amount that was approved.
In a previous interview with the Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Petrona Davies back in February, she had said the lack of funding was the reason the facility was still closed.
Since the closure, the Department of Waste Management has been using a landfill to dispose of the piles of waste, which would have otherwise been incinerated.
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Another NDP fiasco that VIP have to fix.
NDP had many to fix when they went in and many debts to pay for the first 4 years and beyond. So come again!
As I recall, the incinerator was purchased back in VIP days. It languished unassembled for some years. Then someone got paid $ 1 million to assemble it. Not sure if that was after NDP took over though.
We should be ashamed of our f*****g selves! Then we wonder why the quality cruise lines are pulling out and investors don’t want anything to do with this place? Unbelievable! You’re telling me that since Irma, with all the help UK/RDA were supposedly offering, we couldn’t at least have a temp solution in place? You’re telling me the UK military ships couldn’t drop 2 temp incinerator systems here for use? Maybe I’m being naive and overly optimistic but surely nobody will sit here and believe that we should be burning a mountain of garbage because a company in the USA is taking long to build a panel?
When you tell the UK you don’t want help and you refuse the assistance of expats and you refuse the help from neighbor islands this is what you get. STRUPE BEHAVIOR is why BVI is the SLOWEST RECOVERY IN THE CARIBBEAN.
and you lot worried about silly things like gay people getting married or not. Must be easier to focus on other people’s issues than to FIX YOUR OWN
Absolutely. This is a NATIONAL DISGRACE.
There are other solutions. Why always rely on “Consultants” who obviously take us for fools.
1-Time to start putting in place rectcling alternatives. There is a lot of money in garbage.
2-Shipping companies, who’s cargo ships leave the BVI empty should be made to take some of recicling back. They bring in the goods; they can help taking the leftover back. Government should make them do this.
3-Massive Educational Campaign to reuse, not to litter from home and schools, ban plastic, Styrofoam containers.
It is going to be late when we realise where the lack of action will take us.
Sad, very sad.
Completely agree that recycling or reuse present good alternatives. Alas, shipping companies have not been cooperative. There’s no reason they could not ship back pallets in empty containers, but they argue they sell space on containers and are not going to give it away. IMHO, if they were good corporate citizens, they’d agree to help. Another issue is that it’s fine to send back waste for recycling/re-use but it seems there is a surfeit already.
has a chance to actually do something. As I understand it the tendering process has been waivered funds are available and all we get are lame excuses money wasted on “consultancy” and responsibility dodging. The premier should prioritise this health fiasco which is poisoning the people of his own district, and if the current Health minister cant manage….find someone who can.
Alkebulan minds recycling Inc. Is determined to decrease incineration.12844425326,who wants to support an actual recycling plan that can decrease incineration, create needed jobs for to assist the premier’s;”1000 day 1000 jobs plan”…why is recycling being undermined? Why won’t the powers at be see that incineration continues the devastation of human health and creates underground water table contamination abilities with landfill of recyclable materials? What diseases does incineration cause? Has any1 put these thoughts forward!
Is the link to your website/fbpage?
What is your plan?
How can we have a consultancy problem with a scrubber that has not been delivered??? Why are we consulting with a defunct company? When will we stop the nonsense & start supporting the Local Companies who have taken the high risk venture to create a recycling system in the Territory? Stop sending our money overseas & invest in the businesses that are in it for the long haul because the BVI is home & solving our waste disposal issues is their primary goal. Hon Malone – maybe you should actually work with the folks who do the recycling as opposed to the photo ops of organizations who just talk about it! There is no get rich, “instant” garbage solution, but there are viable solutions that can be implemented in short order… Nonsense to work so hard to put local recyclers out of business by discounting their abilities. Soon we will have 2 nicely prepared papers on a Waste Strategy for the Territory – going on a half million to pay foreigners to come here to speak to the people who are doing the work so they can write a document that is never actioned….stop the insanity…support BVI Business….support your local recyclers!
On the head with that!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1200536916794991&set=gm.2292455874195404&type=3&theater&ifg=1
THis afternoon
Rise up! Fight the powers that be and make the change you want happen. Organize and get loud and angry. This has to stop! Do not be complacent!
[email protected]….anyone can contact me. ask me a few questions. I can display my avoided waste strategy plan. Our local corporation is being stifled by a small frame mentality. The future of the bvi is in all of our hands.we sit back and allow outside corporations to stifle young entrepreneurs!