Minister of Water David Estwick recently advised that he will be updating the country very soon on the dire state of water management. We hope when he eventually breaks his silence he will address a few concerns raised by BU’s Colonel Buggy.

– Barbados Underground

WATER:

1. What is the true status of Castle Grant Reservoir which feeds residents far beyond St Joseph?
2. Given that the Castle Grant reservoir’s tank was last cleaned 64 years ago in 1952, when will be the next scheduled inspection and cleaning of the tank take place?
3. When will the building above the tank be refurbished and the surrounding area de-forested?
4. When will adequate security be put in place at reservoirs starting with Castle Grant?
5. Does the Ministry have any plans of requisitioning water dams from private owners fed by streams in the Scotland district to supply water to human beings?
6. What is the status of Joe’s River/St Elizabeth above ground water tank?
7. Is the sub pumping station on the Cattlewash side of the East Coast Road still functional?
8. Can ordinary residents in villages and other communities be treated with the Trenchless Technology ,as was accorded the residents of Cattlewash in St Joseph?
9. Were some residents in some upscale communities in St Joseph such as Andrews Round Hill given preferential treatment in relation to their water supply?
10. Why were those residents hooked up to Castle Grant Reservoir over four months ago and were given the impression that the supply from Sweet Vale to Castle Grant was at the testing stage they would have an abundance of water in two weeks, when at that time two miles of the pipe line had yet to be installed?
11. Are there any plans to deliver non-potable water drawn from the streams in the immediate area, primarily for the use of flushing toilets etc?
12. What is the status of the enquiry into the alleged massive water leak from the Vineyard Reservoir?
13. Which reservoirs and communities are fed from the relatively recent installed water wells at Groves/Six Roads ,St Philip.

Is there a Preventive Maintenance plan in place to :-

(a) Inspect, service and clean the metal water tanks on the fleet of tanker trucks .
(b) Inspect,service and repair the tanker truck chassis.
(b) Inspect , service and clean community plastic water tanks, and the immediate area surrounding them.

What health awareness/water handling training has been given to the drivers of these tanker trucks?.

AGRICULTURE

1. What is the real status of Andrews old sugar factory?
2. Does the Court Order now in force also prevent any further dismantling of the old sugar factory?
3. Does your Ministry/Government have any plans of conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment exercise to ensure that the construction of the new Andrews Super Factory is not unnecessarily or unfairly held up?
4. How many tonnes of sugar are we expecting to produce in 2017?
5. What is the status of the cultivated fields of Wild River Tamarind project?
6. What type of machinery will be used to harvest these Wild River Tamarinds trees?
7. Why are we supposedly using an imported variety of Wild River Tamarind when we have an adequate supply of Wild River Tamarind all over the island?
8. Has any thought been given to the fact that if these Wild River Tamarinds are planted too closely together they may not achieve the desired size?
9. What has become of the Fuel Cane Project,started some time ago?
10. Have farmers who were persuaded to grow a number of acres of fuel canes, been adequately compensated after much of these canes were left in the field unreaped for a number of years or trashed backed into the ground?
11. Are you aware that there is a scarcity in Barbados of Honey Bees, Humming Birds, Yellow Breasts birds, Brown and Black Cow Bees. All very vital in the pollination of plants?