BVI News

Incinerator will be operational by September, says Health Minister

Health Minister Carvin Malone. (BVI News photo)

The Pockwood Pond-based incinerator is expected to be fully functional in roughly two months.

Health Minister Carvin Malone gave that indication while answering questions in the House of Assembly recently.

“We anticipate that the incinerator unit will be fully repaired and brought back into operation by the end of September 2019,” the minister said.

Skelton Electrics Ltd as well as equipment manufacturer, Consutech, have now been awarded contracts to carry out electrical repairs to the incinerator building and to procure a ‘control panel’ needed for the incinerator to function.

Since the incinerator was damaged in a fire last November, Consutech has inspected the plant and presented three options for the restoration of the control system.

By December of last year, government had received quotations from three local companies equipped to rewire the electrical systems of the damaged incinerator.

Funding was then provided in the 2019 budget for the repair works. Malone said Cabinet had also decided to waive the tender process and award contracts to the aforementioned companies.

Other incinerator woes

Apart from the incinerator being non-functional, it is without a ‘scrubber’ — a device used to filter the noxious smoke that emits from the incinerator. This has been a significant 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.

However, nothing has been incinerated at the facility since last November when the incinerator burst into flames and went out of commission altogether.

The department of Waste Management has been using a landfill to dispose of the piles of waste, which would have otherwise been incinerated since the closure.

Also since the closure, the waste site has caught fire more than three occasions, creating new problems for residents of West End.

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25 Comments

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  1. EU citizen says:

    They have been burning trash on the ground. A dirty toxic island.

    Like 13
    Dislike 1
    • Anonymous says:

      The replacement of a control panel has taken over a year. I guess it took time to sort out how much money each government official would be getting out of the deal. This is a third world answer to a third world problem. Corruption abounds and the people inhale toxic smoke. You all deserve this for accepting and allowing your corrupt relatives to do this to the Territory. Positive side is that you will all die sooner.

      Like 10
      Dislike 4
    • @EU citizen says:

      This has been happening for the last six years under the last government so at least we can commend the new government for tackling this problem right away.

      Like 10
      Dislike 6
  2. hmmm says:

    years since Irma.. good turnaround.. SMH

  3. Devon says:

    Now is the time to start sorting and recycling products at Pockwood Pond…
    It’s going to happen eventually so why not now ? I am sure the people of the BVI would understand their taxes being spent on this. Do it NOW !

    Like 13
    Dislike 1
  4. Skelton ... says:

    Good to see that the wealth is spread around…and the rich are getting richer

    Like 11
    Dislike 2
  5. # Carvin Malone says:

    ???.

    Like 22
    Dislike 1
  6. I'll say more like a sneaky says:

    ????? after the swiss cheese.

    Like 17
  7. Awesome says:

    The NDP left us suffering with this problem for the past 7 years so in five months VIP is tackling it so good going.

    Like 5
    Dislike 22
    • And guess what says:

      You will be left suffering with the same problem when the VIP vacate office in 4 years.

      Like 14
      Dislike 1
    • No Bo Bo says:

      The VIP set up a trick bag to make it look that way. Men is the most evil cunning creatures to walk the face of the earth.

  8. @Awesome says:

    The NDP must be really important to you haters, real important. Why is it that everything that pops up, you INCERT SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT NDP HAS DONE OR DIDNOT DO. BE REAL GUYS,YOU MISS NDP. MOVE FORWARD GUYS HAVE A HONEY SMOKED TURKEY LEG AND CALL IT A DAY.

    Like 22
    Dislike 4
  9. And says:

    I will be willing to give the NDP haters some Iced cold lemonade to wash down the honey smoked turkey leg. Yes,they miss NDP so much that they have to always mention NDP.

    Like 13
    Dislike 7
  10. @@Awesome says:

    The NDP doesn’t only seem to be really important to them, they are. Everything is NDP. They were voted out because the VIP said they are honest, hard working, God fearing and even sane. So get to it. The NDP is gone. You are now inking your record, VIP, and one day soon the world will see that you all are no different and I would say even worse. We are seeing it daily, but the speed that the foolishness is hitting the fan, the big things are right behind. Corrupt is a word that the only Premier said more than good morning and good afternoon during the campaign, but all of a sudden he has no idea the meaning of it. God is watching. Security guards won’t stop him. He will pay in full.

    Like 5
    Dislike 3
  11. I'll say it says:

    VIP is much more corrupt than NDP. VIP did a WHOLE LOT OF UNDERCOVER DIRT AND PLANTED A LOT OF SEEDS TO MAKE NDP LOOK BAD. THE BOY FROM CANE GARDEN WAS THE INSTERGATER WHEN HE RECRUIT AND USED THE BLUE WAVE PARTY AS A COVER TO TURN THE PEOPLE AGAINST NDP. Mr.Skelton, I thought you were smarter than that.

    Like 11
    Dislike 2
  12. Ronnie says:

    First off they never had a scrubber.also Hon Malone have disrespected the citizens with the face mask that’s 100% unprofessional.
    Recycling is an other option to decrease The burning of waste
    There are local businesses specializeing in waste but are steady being overlooked by them an those we can’t wait for the western end residents start dying for Malone an the government to realize it’s bad

  13. smh says:

    Honorable Malone, PLEASE do not let us down on this. We need clean air to breathe.

  14. Managing director says:

    [email protected] speaks to the director of a local bvi corporation that gas a realistic RECYCLING solution that is responsible and environmentally friendly on a global standard. A new control panel on an old incinerator body that has nearly lived out it’s life can never be proactive!

  15. West End says:

    I live Belmont and cant smell smoke here. Guess we too far west lay of land or just lucky. I work Carrot Bay is bad and feel bad for my friends there but somehow Belmont blessed.

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