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Barbadians Against Waste-to-Energy Plant

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Kammie Holder, Insurance Executive and Advocacy Director Future Centre Trust
Kammie Holder, Insurance Executive and Advocacy Director Future Centre Trust

Public spirited Barbadians have been voicing concern in growing numbers about government’s plan to locate a Waste to Energy Plasma Gasification Plant at Vacluse, St. St. Thomas. Environmental advocate Kammie Holder of the Future Trust has been leading the charge and is responsible for the Facebook page  Bajans Against $700M Waste to Energy Plant. BU joins with Kammie to  invite all civic minded people every where to join the cause. Where there is little transparency by government it requires the citizenry to agitate and participate. What is DEMOCRACY! #‎20000strongbarbados‬

Having received no information from the Government of Barbados  regarding its proposal  to develop a Waste to Energy Facility at the Mangrove Pond Landfill in St. Thomas in the coming months, the people are taking a stand to inform the Government that they do not want the proposed $700M  Plasma Gasification Plant on the island.

Our concerns are:

Petitioning The Government of Barbados Abandon the proposal to build a $700M Plasma Gasification Plant in Barbados

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109 responses to “Barbadians Against Waste-to-Energy Plant”

  1. zimbab Avatar
    zimbab

    Solar energy is clean & affordable.

  2. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    In addition to all the environmental problems there’s one issue that reeks of corruption which must be explained, and that is the process of awarding the contract. When did this contract go to public tender? And if it didn’t why not?

  3. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    The 34-turbine wind farm is expected to provide enough energy for about 32,000 homes.

  4. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Hants June 27, 2015 at 11:47 AM #

    The 34-turbine wind farm is expected to provide enough energy for about 32,000 homes..
    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
    Does this include those almost 32000 homes built by government and remain mostly unoccupied in Coverly, Church Village St Philip, Constant St George, Lancaster St James, the Grotto, Dalkeith?

  5. Konkieman Avatar
    Konkieman

    34 wind turbine are about 2-3 MW each. Assuming the larger number that is about 100 MW. The whole Bdos grid is 200 MW, so that much wind will introduce a lot of instability in the grid as you can only count on a third at any given time and it goes away in an instant when the wind stops. I agree solar is a better bet for the island.

  6. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Konlieman
    I agree solar is a better bet for the island.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    …and we should just stay home and sleep when the damn nights come and the sun goes down….

  7. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    No Bajan aint gine want any wind farm, landfill or waste to energy plant near them. Once there is transparency, I support the wasye to energy plant. Place it in coastal St. Lucy where the ’emissions’ can go out to sea.

  8. Clone Avatar
    Clone

    I am totally against the waste to energy plant for it will have a devastating effect on our small environment. Where will they dump the slag that remains after the burning? What about the toxins that can escape form the best built filters in the chimneys. At least there is still time to protest because the Environmental Impact study seems not to be have been done yet.

  9. David Avatar
    David

    @Kevin

    Is the issue if the WtE plant about emissions or residue from the gasification process.

    Yardfowls squared.

  10. David Avatar
    David

    @Clone

    You have not addressed the point raised our government is responsible for commissioning the EIA.

  11. Sunshine Sunny Shine Avatar
    Sunshine Sunny Shine

    Since the character of Minister Lowe is as shady as the devil that rides theology saddle on his back, there is no telling how far down the rabbit hole he has committed this project. What the Mottley bombard has revealed may just be one part of the bad with a three quarters remainer waiting to come to the forefront. As a result of the shadiness of this deal, Lowe’s obvious kicks backs in the form of a car and inflated prices for parts, and the fact that this government continues to operate in cloak, the SSS is calling for the instant dismissal of all those who have committed to this potential night mare and the complete abandonment of the Waste to Energy Plant. A recvcling programme should be pursued with revitalized interest. I ask the people of Barbados to petition as well for the removal of Dennis Lowe and this government out of office.

  12. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Colonel and Konkie. fyi

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/nova-scotia-achieves-milestone-level-of-wind-power-generation-1.3129623

  13. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    If Oliver Headley couldn’t convince them I’m sure I can’t, but I must at least state my reservations about this plant on environmental grounds and my preference for solar energy.

    As for the garbage, recycling should solve that problem. If the government provided recycling bins in the neighbourhoods and organized collection it might prove more cost effective than they think.

    As for the corruption, if the allegations are in fact true these ministers are indeed more myopic than the average brass bowl. Do they plan to leave this country along with all of their loved ones? Ultimately somebody they care about will be affected.

  14. Drone Overhead Avatar
    Drone Overhead

    Is it just me or is there a bit of silence surrounding the accident on the highway at the entrance to the Villages at Coverley where a mother hit the island (protruding in the shoulder) flipped her car killing her 11 year old son?

    Does the entrance at the Villages at Coverley as presently designed and configured have TCPO approval????????????

  15. David Avatar
    David

    One must assume approval was received.

  16. Clone Avatar
    Clone

    Has the EIA been done already by the government? I am not sure and if it was done to give permission then I am still against the project starting

  17. David Avatar
    David

    Minister Lowe indicated during his budget ‘contribution’ was close to being completed.

  18. Exclaimer Avatar
    Exclaimer

    Oh Barbados, How I weep for you!

    God has given to our nation the sargassum seaweed to exploit. What has been our reaction to this free offer? You guessed right – rejection, impotence and one of hopelessness.

    Seaweed has been exploited throughout the ages by man. But in a Barbados governed by some of the dumbest Negros on mother earth we choose to overlook nature in favour of expensive “white heat” technology.

    Wherever you look in this world there is a debate raging on renewable energies. One gets the idea that this government has little understanding of this subject and like a child whose mind is developing remains easily swayed.

    The article below debates how seaweed may be used as bio-fuel.

    Seaweed biofuels: a green alternative that might just save the planet
    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jul/01/seaweed-biofuel-alternative-energy-kelp-scotland

    Whilst the second paper dates back from 1973 and was produced by: The Fisheries and Aquaculture Department

    Title: Production, trade and utilization of seaweeds and seaweed products…
    http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/ac860e/AC860E01.htm

  19. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    @ Drone Overhead June 27, 2015 at 2:18 PM #

    Is it just me or is there a bit of silence surrounding the accident on the highway at the entrance to the Villages at Coverley where a mother hit the island (protruding in the shoulder) flipped her car killing her 11 year old son?

    Does the entrance at the Villages at Coverley as presently designed and configured have TCPO approval????????????
    ……………………………….

    I logged on to BU specially to raise this issue.

    Ever since this garden was planted in the highway, I have been raising this issue on BU along with some others and the danger that this potted island posed. I pass there daily and cringe every time. The plants can be planted at the left side of the entrance but not as a divider in the highway.

    Now that a little boy who just passed for the school of his dreams and who will never get to go has lost his life……… now maybe something will be done before another person loses their life.

    The developers of this project seem to have a lot of power in this country so nothing would be done. I think I heard one of the marketeers of the project on VOB last week saying that the gas station will be opened in two weeks time.

    How do these people get so much power over a government elected by some who do not care if tomorrow comes……….those they raked up and paid for the vote at the eleventh hour.

    By the way, David do you know what has become of the cement plant at Brighton? Things are very quiet on that side lately!

  20. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    David; re. your 2:36 pm post, you said:-

    Minister Lowe indicated during his budget ‘contribution’ was close to being completed.

    That’s interesting!

    Wunnah ever wondered why an MoU and agreement would be signed before an EIA was in hand and thoroughly discussed?

    The answer will be blowing in the toxic wind if the Cahill Plasma Gasifier ever gets off the ground, and it won’t be pretty.

  21. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Exclaimer;

    But I’m certain that our people in Biological Sciences research at UWI and at Coastal Conservation, etc. are already aware of the possibilities of using the sargassum weeds for biofuel (for vehicles). Also, don’t be surprised if the soon to be started Cahill-Plasma gasification people puts forward the seaweed as a major feedstock for that factory and the production of energy therefrom.

    Wasn’t there a think tank on identifying approaches for the utilization of sargassum sea weeds recently? Anyone knows what came out of it?

    An integrated scheme growing seaweed in certain beach areas allied with sensible implementation of the River tamarind project seems to be a possibility that could work miracles for our economy and reduce our needs for fuel drastically. Wonder if such will ever see the light of day?

    But, of course, these days it seems that there have to be massive quid pro quos involved to get such projects off the ground. We perhaps need to retain the tainted four and import another Clare Cowan to get it off the ground and not an Oliver Headley, LOL.

  22. Rasta R Avatar
    Rasta R

    The EIA for this plant isn’t even started
    The basic initial EIA for the general site was completed by burns and issued to Cahill back in 2014
    This Cowan woman is oblivious to the requirements of a site specific EIA and is bullshitting people including her potential investors saying they have it done .
    I sat with their project director Kevin ODonnell back in February and went through the process and at that time he was the only person from that organisation who understood what was really needed to comply with the law and the environmental requirements

    WHERE is he now ???? Rumour has it he fell foul of the bitch from hell who didn’t want to hear the truth about what was needed to comply with the law and make the plant work.
    If anyone out there has his contact details it may be a good idea to get his perspective on this whole scam !!!!

    The Cowan woman was to be back on the island with another investor now where is she and where are they

    Another pack of lies from her drunken mouth.
    When are the government going to call a halt to this carpet bagger!!!!!!

  23. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Anyone can fool these morons, Rasta R!

    Remember the Stinkliar said that some days when he arrives at his office, he cannot get in, there is a long line of people sitting waiting to have meetings with him……..Kellman also said that investors are falling over themselves wanting to invest in Barbados……..we wonder what has become of all this investment? Investors probably see these morons for what they are…….incompetent! Anyone can pull wool over their eyes.

    MAM’s revelations floored them……..Richard Sealy panicked, he was all over the place and seemed shell shocked that his colleagues could be so gluttonous…………..since then I have heard Stinkliar say that the project is on the PM’s desk and he will make the decision.

    Let’s hope it stays on Fumble’s desk. Fumble is grieving (by the way, my deepest sympathy, Mr Fumble) so he may not be in a frame of mind to work.

  24. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Somewhere amongst the large number of blogs on this subject on BU I think I suggested that the statement that the project cannot start without the OK of the PM was actually the death knell of the project especially because of his customary inertia.

    I still think so but in addition, on reflection, I think that the PM might have some serious concerns that may lead to the scuttling of the project and the signatories, as he appeared to have left some hints that he was somewhat bemused about MAM’s revelations and in his heart of hearts might be giving them some credence. Anyone else recalls seeing him on TV in his speech on the budget calling out each one of the four and detailing / repeating the charges against them in a manner that suggested that he was sending them a message to straighten up (eg. they call you the 10% man, etc)

    I suspect that the Cahill project will go nowhere.

    Hope that it doesn’t rain tomorrow night and that I can go to hear MAM’s update on the Cahill scam at the planned political meeting.

  25. Rasta R Avatar
    Rasta R

    I sincerely hope the PM takes the time to void this travesty
    To have this Cowan woman brought down to where she belongs in the gutter would send the right signal to the rest of us who have to do an honest days work to make ends meet and not fronting a fraud using a penny company with zero balance sheet and nothing but bulldhit behind it

  26. David Avatar
    David

    @Are-we-there–yet

    Interesting observation, wondered why the PM was so deliberate to describe the very discussed indiscretions of his ministers. It also shows he has his ears to the under ground.

  27. Rasta R Avatar
    Rasta R

    Would you give a sweetheart deal worth $700million to a vegetable stall owner ???
    I put it to the government that the actual net worth of this Cowan woman is less than some of our hard working business owners on the island
    She is using consultants and other scammers to sell her penny company CEB to investors for millions (she hopes ) to

  28. David Avatar
    David

    Amazing how similar this furor over Cahill is reminiscent of the 3S company and flyovers. At least President Of 3S Barbados Limited Jonathan Danos brought experience to the table.

  29. Rasta R Avatar
    Rasta R

    Pay for the support of her scam .
    15 months later we are no further ahead in the design and regulatory approval of the plasma plant than the day the sweetheart was signed .
    The Cowan woman is a slick fraudster of that there is no doubt.

  30. Rasta R Avatar
    Rasta R

    David
    The only experience the Cowan woman has in this arena is what she learned on the internet
    She claims all sorts of industry experience that’s all bogus she is a fraud of that there is no doubt.

  31. David Avatar
    David

    @Rasta R

    You need to start putting some concrete info on the table.

  32. Lee Avatar
    Lee

    Importing feedstock from other countries is a recipe for the spread of disease. Furthermore, it is much too unclear exactly what emissions will be involved, and what sort of ash or other residue will be produced. Let’s take recycling seriously as a first step. The cost of oil is likely to stay low for a long time making plasma generation costs less efficient and our children will inherit a huge smelly white elephant .

  33. Rasta R Avatar
    Rasta R

    Otto Simon gone
    E&Y gone
    Project director #1 gone
    Project director #2 gone
    Personal Assistant gone
    AlterNRG no where to be seen
    Finance director non existent
    Phantom investors !!! Never a name mentioned
    Stantec unpaid

    And on and on and on….

  34. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    What was the projected cost of the prison before it started and what was it when finished? Same for Polyclinic in St John, the high courts, National Housing building in Warrens, and the list goes on. This latest “we’re living above our means” undertaking has moved from $300M to $700M so far and not a speck of garbage has been processed as yet. We will be laughing stock of the Caribbean and wider world if we let these highway robbers get away with this.

  35. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    Rasta R;

    I see that you responded to David’s post of 6:55 pm and there seems to be ring of truth in much of your list.

    But I would suggest that the things you hint at should be weighted with some verifiable facts i.e. be more “concrete”

    Who is Otto Simon? and does his “going” that mean that Cowan has essentially failed in her shopping around to sell the project?

    What is E&Y?

    Any verifiable facts that indicate that Cowan’s project directors and personal assistant are “gone”?

    AlterNRG appears to be indeed “gone” since it has been sold to a Chinese company and does not mention the Cahill-Barbados project in its portfolio of projects.

    Some names have been mentioned in the leaked BLP documents of the “phantom investors”. Have they also dropped out of the project?

    Stantec unpaid; A rep was in the papers about a week ago. Have they dropped out now?

    Your revelations, if they can be corroborated, suggest that the bottom might be falling out of the Cahill scam. But if so, should the seeming miscreants in Government go scot free? Is there a charge for treasonable behaviour in our statute books or can Stuart continue to pretend that none of this happened and get the brass bowl electors to believe him?

  36. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Rasta R,

    Your “hints” may not be concrete but they are believable.

    All need to visit their website before continuing the discussion.

    http://www.cahill-energy.com/

  37. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    Reading through the lines and the ramblings of the PM when he spoke, despite all the bravado defending the said ministers, I think that he clearly did not know the details of this sordid deal. He was taken by surprise, so he had to put up the front……..that was my take.

    How could the minister of finance get three colleagues to sign this deal without the PM’s signature? Surely something of this magnitude the PM should have been apprised of. No wonder it is now sitting on his desk.

    Whatever happened to the deal that David Estwick said that the Stinkliar was sitting on and he DE wrote to the PM and for weeks, DE complained that the PM would not respond to his request for he the PM to speak to the Stinkliar. We were then informed here on BU that a company was allegedly formed by the Stinkliar with a knight and a poser for a financial analyst as directors.

    We need answers! Enough is enough!

  38. David Avatar
    David

    The point is made in today’s press, already made by BU times over, how was CEO Clare Cowan able to announce a start date of September with said date contradicted by Sinckler.

    Transparency required!

  39. Mitch Sassoon Avatar
    Mitch Sassoon

    The Leader of the Opposition destroyed the Cahill Energy project with her expose and interrogation in Parliament. The first causality after the Budget reply of the LOO was Cahill’s local partners, JADA………they decided the heat was too hot (no pun intended) and they bailed out in at full speed. The Cahill Energy waste-of-money project is DEAD and the only uncertainty now is whether Clare Cowen can flog the sale of the company to an unsuspecting buyer thereby securing a pay-day for herself and her friends.

  40. RastaR Avatar
    RastaR

    Otto Simon were the owners engineer based in the Uk and were at the townhall meeting .they are no longer part of Cahill’s technical team and do not represent cshill anymore. there is nothing on their website on them working for Cahill and when asked all they would say is “no comment”
    E&Y are Ernst and Young and were involved over a year agoooks like they were replaced by Jacobs Securities out of Toronto .

  41. Exclaimer Avatar
    Exclaimer

    @ are-we-there-yet June 27, 2015 at 4:21 PM,

    Why would a nation with a population of 280,000 require a waste-to-energy plant?

    Waste-to-energy (WTE) plants have been in operation for a number of decades within industrialised countries. Barbados is NOT an industrialised country. It is a “sub” developing country with a tiny economy.

    We have allowed manufacturers and retailers to develop a packaging industry which we directly and indirectly pay for whether it is at the point of sale or through higher taxes. Someone has to call a halt to this foolishness. Go back thirty years when packaging was minimal compared to today’s levels.

    We are prepared to waste 700 million plus on a useless WTE plant, whilst ignoring the invasion of a seaweed army which is menacing our tourist industry. Sadly our government and the UWI are both incapable of coming up with suitable solutions.

  42. RastaR Avatar
    RastaR

    Surely the Cowan woman sell on a non project and even if she can convince unsuspecting investors surely the government would have to agree to the novation of the contract.
    To show u how clue less this woman is she declares the project will start construction in September !!!! She is as crazy as they say she is

  43. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ exclaimer
    “We are prepared to waste 700 million plus on a useless WTE plant, whilst ignoring the invasion of a seaweed army which is menacing our tourist industry. Sadly our government and the UWI are both incapable of coming up with suitable solutions.”
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    …and this comes after wasting millions on Four Seasons, Barrack Building, a Billion-dollar -prison, Almond, Greenland, A new Water Authority Building (while leaks increase), and countless shiite as DOCUMENTED annually by the Auditor General…..

    SURELY this describes the concept of BRASS BOWLS led by Jack Asses…..

  44. RastaR Avatar
    RastaR

    http://www.cahill-energy.com/

    There is no substance to this website
    There is no Cahill no employees no history no experience. Smoke and mirrors they have done nothing but create this illusion on a website
    Shame on us for allowing this to become a Barbados laughing stock

  45. Mitch Sassoon Avatar
    Mitch Sassoon

    Rasta R

    Why would Clare Cowen need a novation of the contract? She need only sell the company that holds the agreements (power purchase and implementation) or the holding company based in Channel Islands.

  46. RastaR Avatar
    RastaR

    I hope the government was clever enough to put a novation clause in the contracts

    If not then I hope there is a company in good stead clause in there

  47. David Avatar
    David

    Isn’t a novation clause a standard feature of a contract of this type?

    On 28 June 2015 at 12:02, Barbados Underground wrote:

    >

  48. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    I f you read todays newspaper you should have picked up the MOF suggesting the country has no solutions to deal with the seaweed problem.

    Next!

  49. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    RastaR

    When the story of the Cahill blot on Barbados’ name is fully writ I think your role on BU as an insider who dared to spill some of the important beans will be appreciated.

    I asked, some weeks ago, the simple question of who you were representing, (i.e. Government, JADA, the Williams Group or the people of Barbados?).

    Your recent declarations suggest that it was probably not Jada or the current Government.

    Bravo to you! Whoever you are I think you are a true patriot.

  50. RastaR Avatar
    RastaR

    It most certainly should be
    As should a bringing the gob into disrepute clause be in there
    And as this is certainly the case
    We should be invoking both if they are in there

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