We’re not happy with the landfill — VG residents
Residents of Virgin Gorda recently told government officials that they are unhappy with the management of their landfill, which caused much disturbance in their community when fires broke out last week.
Many residents and businesses were disrupted by the fire on July 29. The authorities made attempts to contain it, however, they say pockets of fire and smoke continue to emanate from the area.
Minister for Health Vincent Wheatley, and Director of the Department of Waste Management, Marcus Solomon, met with the residents and gave an update on steps being taken to manage the waste site.
“The residents voiced that they are not satisfied with how the site is being managed. A great deal of waste is pushed off the border and visibly hanging from the hills. They also complained about previous fires and lack of information from the department and the need to improve our bulk waste services, among other things,” Solomon said.
The residents also discussed other pertinent issues in their community.
“It is important to build a relationship with the community, get their support for upcoming projects like the derelict vehicles clean-up and other public education initiatives,” Solomon stated. “We want to know how our clients view the services we provide so we can improve upon them.”
The director stated that an agreement was made to have continued meetings to assist with providing solutions to challenging problems and to collaborate with the community to promote public education. Residents were also asked to assist in reporting instances of illegal dumping.
Wheatley, who is also the Representative for the Ninth District, apologised to residents for the inconvenience they are experiencing and provided an update on the territory’s waste management plan.
Persons with respiratory conditions who live or are visiting the area are asked to take the necessary health precautions.
Waste management continues to be a major problem in the BVI. On the main island of Tortola, residents are frequently affected by random fires that break out at the Pockwood Pond dump site, which sometimes takes several days to contain.
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Let it be very clear:
– ALL responsible people involved are fully aware of the circus that is going on in waste management.
– they are fully aware they are jeopardising the health of the people by DELIBERATELY putting the dumps on fire regularly.
– they, and all before them, refuse to take any action.
– even the fire department is in on this joke and pretend they are shocked it is on fire all the time.
THEY DO NOT CARE and are not going to do anything about it any time soon.
Too right…!
50 years ago, when there were fewer people on VG, using the landfill where it is was OK. Today, it is not. This was foreseable (just like the problems in Pockwood) but nothing was done. Virgin Gorda’s biggest waste management challenge is that it makes no sense at all to have the landfill where it is. Everything has to be trucked up the mountain, meaning the roads take a beating, and we burn fuel to get it there. Once it is burned, the debris is pushed off the edge, creating the present blight. Alas, VG being small, has few alternative sites to deal with its wastes but that should not mean that waste management practices can be improved instead of doing nothing at all about it.
I say we ship it to tola. When it burns there no one cares
Who are these supposed resident of VG that was affected? None of us live in mango bay / Nail bay areas!
When the fat cat made the decision to move the dump because of business interest that was fine.
Now the other cat starting to bawl out.
GREED WILL KILL AYO!
People wake up!!!!
Stop saying LANDFILL that area was never destined for a LANDFILL Ralph put it there to get his land sell.That land can and will never be used as land fill.Now what about the land adjacent was it sold to who m and when.Why is Gorda Peak trail still close on the Southern end for years now..Vincent we need answers now.
I don’t know anyone that lives down wind of that place. Maybe the weed farmers up on Gorda Peek??
The dump is what it is. There is garbage. We have to burn it to get rid of it. The Dump is in a pretty good place – away from where all the people live and down wind is the ocean.
Garbage is messy. The poor workers that have to deal with it are doing us a great favor. Thank them!
But stop complaining about nonsense. We need Hospitals and Schools. We can live with the VG Dump.