Professor Robin Mahon, Director, Centre for Resource Management And Environmental Studies (CERMES) Faculty Of Pure And Applied Sciences, CAVE HILL CAMPUS, BARBADOS
Negative Report On Almond Beach Club Barbados Uploaded To Youtube
Discover more from Barbados Underground
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
54 responses to “Negative Report On Almond Beach Club Barbados Uploaded To Youtube”
-
Why should this matter reach the point of having to be broadcast on the Internet? What is the role of the local health ministry? What are/have been the health implications for Barbadians and guests alike?
-
I would like to know where the Nation article on this authored by the caffein-less wonder is. Seems they have had MONTHS to do investigative journalism and find all the “documental” evidence they needed. So you see, a lack of caffein is a turrible thing.
-
Where there is a void what do you think will happen? It is the reason citizens have been turning to the Internet to fight causes to circumvent the traditional media which continues to prostrate itself at the altar of greed.
-
Who actually owns the Nation? Anyone know? We know who owns Almond Beach. We know who built it – and who sold it for a pittance – and to whom.
It is indeed interesting that this story comes to us from the Internet and not from our so-called Fourth Estate and our pompous, decaffeinated friend.
-
OCM owns nation with majority of shares owned in trinidad
-
OCM is One Caribbean Media.
-
thanks david forgot everyone may not know what ocm is
-
And here we are trying to ‘green’ Barbados…When a hotel shows such irresponsibility to the point that it has to be documented on UTube for the whole world to see…it says something for (a) those who own the place and (b) our newspapers/visual media who do not seem to get up off their a**ses and do any kind investigative reporting that really matters not only to tourism but also to Barbados and its people and their health. And I will again take this moment to mention that nobody in those medias either seem to want to delve into some of the poisons that are being allowed to be imported into this island under the guise of wholesome food. At the end of the day….same ting in my mind. One thing I know, I stay away from all those products that come mostly from America….and I would not swim on the west coast not even if you paid me…. I feel that even the south coast is dubious at times….Do we have regular testing of the quality of our coastal waters around the island?
-
This is truly disgusting.
The Ministry of Health should have the power to put an immediate stop to this and the Owner of the Hotel should be fined.
oops. It is Babadus uh talkin bout so nuttin doan happen to big ups.
-
The issue here is not the newspaper….
it is the fact that Ralph Taylor is the Chairman of Almond resorts (I think)……this is the same Ralph Taylor that is Chairman of BTA (Barbados Tourism).
Isn’t this a conflict in addition to bad business????
,,,,,and yea this Ralph Taylor is well connected within the DLP!!!!!
You’re right….nothing will get done!!!!!!
-
As far as I know, water from sewerage treatment plants located on hotel premises is routinely used for irrigation. This water is not raw sewerage. It is a lot cleaner than what most homeowners are currently discharging into suck wells all over the island.
-
My God,
Ignore the Capitalist Taylor, focus on the government
-
Watch the VIDEO at this link to learn about some of the unethical practices perpetrated by the food suppliers which are probably found on our shelves in Barbados. Perhaps this is what Rosemary is referring to in the comment above.
-
Rosemary
Seriously man, you got sa much time fah posting human why you don’ call me an’ talk lil’ bit … I’m available
-
@Raw Bake
Are you trying to be provocative? Here is a blog BU posted April 2008 which is still relevant given the run off of the sewage water into the sea off Almond.
Former Barbados Government Rejected Blue Flag Membership
Posted on April 2, 2008 by David| 37 Comments | Edit
We have received an email from a Barbadian who is very concerned the tap and marine water quality in and around Barbados may not be all that it is ‘cracked-up’ to be. We feel that this is a reasonable conclusion based on the information to follow on the blog. The Barbadian is very concerned that her children and those of other Barbadians who love to frolic in the water off our beautiful beaches maybe doing so at some risk.
The story begins about 3 years ago when the Barbados government was offered Euros 60,000, which included technical assistance, to undertake a study which would test not only our water quality but beach quality and other environmental factors. As BU understands it, the offer was unconditional with the process of testing estimated to last about one year. For some unexplained reason the former Owen Arthur government did not want the water quality statistics published or printed, and so the project was scrapped.
-
and to think that while in the water, u sometimes get sea water in ur mouth…OMG
-
the fact that this is happening … , without due attention …
-
David, all I am saying is TCZMU does not allow coastal properties to discharge raw sewage into the sea. On the other hand residential properties further inland are allowed to use suckwells to hold the same raw sewage.
I think we should be more concerned about the volume of untreated wastewater we discharge into suckwells, but what do I know.
-
January 22, 2011
Mr. Ralph Taylor, President & CEO
Almond Resorts Inc.
c/o Barbados UndergroundDear Mr. Taylor
Almond Resorts Inc. last declared a dividend in February 2008, in respect of financial year 2007.
Almond Resorts Inc. performed poorly during financial years 2008 and 2009 and did not declare a dividend for those years.
Almond Resorts Inc. recently released its results for financial 2010, during which it also performed poorly.
Mr. Taylor, the shareholders of Almond Resorts Inc. really cannot afford this negative publicity.
Mr. Taylor, thank you for making the rectification of this matter your priority.
Sincerely
-
This situation with the sewerage system at the Almond Beach Resort is even more proof that the people who are supposedly in power to represent the people of Barbados, aren’t being taken seriously. The strange thing about this is if it was a common home owner creating even a lesser problem, that person, or persons would have it resolved, or action would have been taken against them. So are the people in power that are representing Barbadians not respected by these resorts owners? Or the people in power too scared to stand up to these people that seem to make their own laws? How in hell,or why in hell are you allowing outsiders to come into our country and run things their way? This has to **STOP** and the owners of Almond Beach, or any other resort has to deal with the consequences for not respecting our rules and regulations; This is not about slave and master anymore; We are the ones who made the laws,and you have to comply,or deal with the circumstances; Enough is enough follow the rules,or close your resorts. Tourism can never replace the health of the people of Barbados that your problem can create in the event they start getting sick. And if by chance your guest should get sick from you not taking care of your problem that you have been warned about. I hope that you aren’t going to try to place the blame on the government?
-
What do we have here, a hotel group which has dropped 20 million dollars last year and has been struggling in the current environment. There also have a greening program which the more discerning among us know is a PR strategy to give the impression of good corporate social responsibility. Read what Neal & Massy the parent company of Almond has to say on environmental products.
What is the role of the public health inspectorate?
-
Maybe this blog can actually be put to some other positive use such as arranging for a group of bloggers to picket outside the property. This would get the media interested.
-
About that “greening program”
As Kermit the Frog would say “It’s not easy being green”
-
Who pays the piper always call the tunes. So much wrong is taking place while those who commit white collar crimes are the Untouchables. The only persons being locked up is murderers and persons caught with illegal drugs. We just talk about the ill in society and lap up the acting of the politicians on the platform. No Ministerial Code of Conduct, No Integrity Legislation and No Freedom Of Information Act. The time is right when right thinking Barbadians must withhold their vote unless the status of the BLP and DLP is broken.
-
This the method of operations in Barbados, the politicians from both sides have so brainwahed this “so-called” intellegent society that we are prepared just to shout hard from the roof top but do nothing about a situation that has the potential of wiping out a large section of our community. What is happening at Almond Beach, if what I’m seeing is true, MUST be known to the authorities, yet because these “big-ups” and go to the Almond Beach Village, in St Peter with their friends and eat and drink at no cost, they don’t care too hoots what happens in St.James. They would tell their family and close friends to stay away but come or send a wreath to your funeral
-
This is not a new problem by any means. Grey water can be defined as the waste water that runs out of the kitchen and bathroom drains. Its not raw sewage but by no means is it clean. this is not a isolated to the west coast, last October, students at Uwi sampled the sea water at accra beach and found the levels of fecal colis ( human sewage) to be more than 10 times the accepted levels. this is while people are unknowingly swimming in it. the reason Barbados is not a blue flag beach is because the sand and the water around the island are to polluted. blue flag status only means that there is a limit to the amount of pollution that can be found daily on the beaches. why would a government refuse to allow that? guesses anyone?
-
@Jonathon
Given the level of reading which you registered last October (10 times the accepted levels) can you give us an idea the ramifications for humans beings who frolic in the contaminated water and other living organisms?
When we speak about being a developed country these are the indicators we have to use and not those thrust upon us by others.
-
The end of The World: Dubai island development sinks back into sea after being scuppered by financial crisis. It exemplified the booming property market and ambition of Dubai’s entrepreneurs.
But after the global financial crisis led to the collapse of the emirate’s home-building market, a unique development known as ‘The World’ is reportedly facing Armageddon. The project, a man-made archipelago designed to resemble a map of the planet, is facing disaster as its islands have begun sinking, a tribunal heard this week. The development, which sits a mile and a half from the mainland, is all but vacant after investors who bought up its ‘nations’ saw their finances collapse after the economic crash. -
Notice that the day that the guy recorded the video, was indeed rainy. Now I am not saying that this was just rainwater runoff, but I would suggest that this is an inherent problem with all properties on the coast, because there is not much depth between the surface and the sealevel, such that when one digs a well, one will reach the sea table quickly.
This is especially true on the West Coast from Holetown to Spring Garden. Remember that Spring Garden is really reclaimed land and brackish water anyway.
Holetown floods so easily and is similar to Spring Garden in that respect.
This is further compunded if the rain comes to coincide with hightide.
Therefore, I suspect that it would take a substantial sum of money to address this problem, as it is structural, inherent to the geography of the area.
Personally, I would not buy a house or apartment in Holetown, it may be nice for tourists to be near the sea, but that is all, as a rental property. I would not live there.
The same problem seems to exist in the other quoted area i.e. Accra. The sea level is not much below road level, so rain that coincides with high tide results in flooding.
-
The problem at Almond Beach appears to be grease traps not being maintained and or waste pipes partially blocked.
GREASE is the most difficult waste to deal with.
It is stupid for a Hotel owner to allow such poor maintenance to continue.
West Coast hotels have always had to deal with difficult sewerage problems.
Some used to pump their waste half mile out in the sea. -
@Crusoe
Why would a Professor of Mahon’s credentials chase this matter if it were as you stated.
-
@David, I dunno. Maybe he expects them to spend whatever they have to, in order to deal with the issue.
But, maybe the costs are astronomical?
Note what Hants said above, that West Coast hotels always had this problem. Why? Land and sea level.
It leaves three choices, i.e. pump way out to sea or use large septic tanks, emptied regularly or third and maybe the most suitable, onsite sewage treatment, with waste disposed of by tanker and by-product water pumped out to sea or used to water the gardens.
Either way, large sewage collection tanks are the first step.
If they already have these, as well as sewage treatment, then the water seen in the video is ‘cleaned’ waste, or if not *cleaned* then there is a problem with the processing plant.
We have to know the details to make a proper assessment.
-
@Carson C. Cadogan
As usual you gine on about the different set a rules thing. Lemmuh ask you something, does Barbados not have an all Bajan Black government? Does Barbados not have an all Bajan Black Town and Planning department? If White business corporations and businesses are being given a nod and a wink to Barbados law, who do you suppose is giving them that nod and wink? If Black Bajan government and it’s officials can be bought and sold, whose fault exactly is that? Clearly, the problem lies with corruption or negligence of duty within the Black Bajan government. -
@Mongoose,
Very interesting. -
It is interesting how you all are so quick to rush to judge without careful analysis of what is before you.
1. If you look carefully, one would see that this video is taken opposite Almond Beach close to the junction with Molyneux.
2. Why would Almond pump their sewerage to the opposite side of the road on someone else’s property?
3. Almond’s sewerage treatment plant is located on their property north of the main gate.
4. Why would this video be shot when it is raining? -
Snipes
In effect you have called Professor Mahon a liar. Did he not say Almond management denies that the escaping water is not waste?
-
@David / Snipes,
But that is just the point, we need details before we can assess the reality.
Either it is rainwater, or treated and safe waste, or sewage.
However, we do not have the full details, the video is superficial.
-
It is a negative image, whether waste or not, especially for a public company that is operating in such an industry, with three recent years of poor financial performance. Another year or two of poor results and the shareholders may be offered an insulting amount of money for their shares. Mr. Taylor can and should do better in this matter, even if the hotel is not at fault. It would not make a difference if the life-like electronic rats of a restaurateur’s children were seen roaming the restaurant at night.
-
Like I’ve said before……
Barbados has a RULE for EVERYTHING and ENFORCEMENT of NOTHING.
-
Robin Needs to do another video on a dry sunny day. I thought some hotels use this “gray water” to irregate their lawn areas?
-
I believe the reason the video is shot during the rain is because it is the rain that causes the trap to overflow. no rain, no overflow and there has definatley been enough rain recently! Speaking of Almond Village, ever been in the sea out there? the waste outflow goes right from shore, you can see it running into the sea. The coral out there is bleached and for the most part dead and you can occasionaly see things that look like human waste. I dont know if it comes from the hotel but they would be the most likely suspect. there are evidences on almost every beach all around the island, east coast is also quite bad. all the evidence is there is someone wants to see it. The problems stem from years of people just doing what they want and not caring about the repercussions. Have a pig farm? where does the waste go when it rains? chicken farm? Outhouse? use fertilizer? In thirty years I have the waters around Barbados go from a thriving center of marine life to a almost desert. It will keep happening and soon our waters will be just like Jamaicas, barren. Not a fish in the water and the ones in the store imported. so sad.
-
Jonathon wrote “the waste outflow goes right from shore, you can see it running into the sea.”
Next time you see this be a good citizen and call CZMU or MOH.
-
the outflow runs anytime there is heavy rain, and the CZMU know. another place to check is the mangrove runoff in holetown next to Discovery Bay. when there are heavy rains, the hotel guests from mango bay and discovery bay are unofficially advised to wait for a few days before swimming, local residents are not. yes it will take an investment and probable a large one at that but it is vital for the tourist trade and the health of the waters around the island. not to mention our own health. I know there are doubters and sceptics out there, I am not trying to fool you, go check for yourself. All these locations are public places and just using your nose will give you a clue. Will try MOH next time I see it though, CZMU never seemed to care
-
@Jonathan “local residents are not.”
Most older local residents do not swim at Holetown until the water clears up a bit.
For the youngsters,after heavy rains “below de river mout” was a great spot for hullin waves.
-
I know Professor Mahon and he is a well educated decent Bajan.
If he has a problem with this then so do I.
I know Ralph Taylor too and I wish I could say the same about him, but I can’t.
Professor Mahon is a white Bajan. Ralph Taylor is a black Bajan.
That said once my neigbour’s well was overflowing raw sewage (shit) into the street. The problem had heen pointed out to the neighbour who had failed to act. Said neighbour was at the time a deputy permanent secretary. I faxed the nearest polycinic on the Friday and by the Sunday morning the neighbour had paid the appropriate company to clean up the problem. And yes when I faxed the polyclinic I gave them my real name, address, phone numbers and email addresses. And no I did not tell lies on my neighbour, and yes we are still good neighbours.
My experience is that government departments WILL ACT if a well documented and signed complaint is made.
And when I see a problem I always complain in writting and I always include my real name address etc. and nobody that I have complained for has had ever confronted me about my complaints or failed to act on them yet.
I believe that most people want to do the right thing, and sometimes it is our duty to remind them.
Right is right and wrong is wrong.
“A prophet is not without honour except in his own country.”
-
Barbados is still trying to break the cycle of apathy where environmental issues are concerned.
We grew up spitting in street, burning garbage or peltin it in de sea if you lived on the coast.
We have come a long way but there is still a long way to go and it costs a lot of money.
We need a sewerage treatment plant for the west coast asap.
-
The authorities in this country are Toothless Bulldogs when it comes to certain entities and individuals . Only last week we saw how a local Swan Street businessman was treated, while Mrs Ram , doing the same thing,and mush more on Bay Street is left untouched.
-
Prof. Mahon is right. The staff at the ABC apparently have known for years that the Treatment Plant was not working correctly and that Almond has been pumping untreated water into the wells across the road. They have been covering up for years……………….. and in Speightstown too!!!
-
I will immediately grab your rss feed as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me understand in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.