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John Boyce, Minister of Health
Dr. David Estwick, vying for the DLP presidency
Denis Lowe, Minister of the Drainage
There was a very lively town hall meeting held yesterday to further ventilate on the vexing issue concerning the deterioration of the environment on the South Coast of Barbados to follow the well attended BLP political meeting held on Sunday night. Successive governments have invested heavily in education and health, the unfortunate and protracted situation playing out on the South Coast begs the BU question if the heavy investment has provided an adequate ROI.
The following comment was posted by John, a prolific commenter on the issue.

– Barbados Underground

John commented on Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary Assessment Report and the South Coast Sewage Plant Connection

So, here’s my thinking at the moment.

There is a standard 3 foot increase in underground water level due solely to tidal fluctuations.

The rain falls … 6 inches plus.

The sluice gate is nailed shut for whatever reason.

It’s operation is the responsibility of the owners of Graeme Hall Plantation … GOB.

The 3 foot fluctuation now occurs on top of 5 feet due to the inability of the water to drain through the sluice gate.

So underground water levels can vary from 5 feet above a zero datum to 8 feet above that datum.

Before, the most it would increase to was 3 feet above the zero datum and that was due to due to an act of God.

Water now “springs” from unlikely places due to an act of man.

Manholes, backyards wherever it is forced by the sea it comes up.

The sewage issues, both from the plant and the development in the watershed make a bad situation worse.

Is Government liable for its handling of the sluice gate?

There is the 1945 conveyance which specifies how the owner of Graeme Hall Plantation is to operate the sluice gate.

Here is what has happened with Mrs. Burke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNWA4_mPdcs&feature=youtu.be

She knows instinctively at 84 that the operation sluice gate has been mishandled and is one of the causes of her problems.

Her residence looks like it is closest to the zero datum

…. and then there are businesses

http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/91384/guests-bolt

It is possible that like Mrs. Burke, this business is also a victim of the handling of the sluice gate?

If it is where I think it is I believe it is a victim too.

Clearly it is suffering loss and it is easily quantifiable.

Does the decision regarding liability of the GOB to the GHNS only apply in the case of the BIT or does it have implications for locals seeking redress for loss through the courts here?

Would the GOB be strictly liable to those suffering loss under the laws of Barbados?

Probably phrased it all wrong as I am not a lawyer but just applying logic which might not be legal!!

… maybe that’s why spring tides are so called!!

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260 responses to “Sewage on the South Coast and TIDES”

  1. Nostradamus Avatar
    Nostradamus

    Information received from a reliable source that was at the meeting was that neither John Boyce nor Maria Agard, the Parliamentary Representatives for the areas of the South Coast affected, attended the meeting.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    @Nostradamus

    No surprise, this is a hot potato issue.

  3. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Easy fix…just change the name from worthing to little haiti

  4. Nostradamus Avatar
    Nostradamus

    On a positive note I have been reliably informed that for sure on the nights of Dec 12 and 13 an excavator was sent to clear the sand from the seaside and landside of the sluice gate to allow the water to flow out and very early in the morning of Dec 13 and 14 an excavator returned to block the flow. So by the time the sun is up and people head to the beach there would be no trace of the water from the wetland.

    This is the type of management that was used when Graeme Hall plantation was privately owned and when the sluice gate actually functioned. A functioning sluice gate would make this process much easier and having to manage it with an excavator is not the best solution and really only a “stopgap” measure that has been used for the past 12 years!

  5. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    It seems Ms. Burke was having problems from day one ( in one of the voluminous reports I think there was mention of the lady at the corner) and no one sought to alleviate her plight. While Bajans were praying for rain during the recent drought this poor woman was hoping that the rains “hold off”. She is a victim of bad planning, poor or nonexistent responses to her complaints and shoddy attempts to rectify the situation. The authorities ignored the complaints of the homeowners but when businesses and tourists are affected (1) deny there is a problem and (2) blame vandals (BTW the GM of BWA should be fired for blatantly lying about the cause of this problem). I believe that the only long term solution is a massive reengineering of the whole project but that is a pipe dream, so expect the problems to continue perhaps they will be less intensive but for those in the immediate vicinity prepare to live with it and stock up on Dettol and /or Jeyes fluid.

    I think that the decision to close the sluice gate is in direct proportion to the presence of tourists in the area. Before there was a “Gap” the sluice gate was opened to allow for the excess water to drain off, but drainage from the swamp makes for an unsightly surf and would deter patrons.

  6. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    The sluice gate needs to be opened again. The road where you stand to fish in is partially flooded. Close Worthing Beach again, send out notices on air and in print media for the reason the gate has to be opened. Do it now before winter season really kicks in.

  7. SuckaBubby Avatar
    SuckaBubby

    B will blame D and B will reciprocate.When its the omni-portant altar of high end tourism is at fault by which both D and B encouraged sacrificing everything else.Governments have a “dumpsy” belief that if I just close my eyes tight enough I wont have to maintain anything, so long my prized pieces on the board “doan get interfere with”.Now fate would have it that tourism is taking a beating from this gross myopic thinking.Government,any sane one, have to review our ideology of what is truly important and what is cake icing, yet there was no vision articulated all year for the 50th,just fireworks and a trident that looked like a “shedruff winduh stick”.Should have included some jobby in the time capsule.

  8. Watchman Avatar
    Watchman

    @ Sargeant

    I Thank you, your comment spot on,The authority/technoc-rats ignored the complains of homeowners, a developed situation to caused flooding to Mr. Blackman home for the last 12 plus years, now overflowed to the whole area of Clarkes Rd, St. James, because of reckless technoc-rats ignoring homeowners .

  9. COCKROACH DOES HEAR TINGS Avatar
    COCKROACH DOES HEAR TINGS

    Look out for infected visitors – some are already caught off guard in the shite because they were not warned about the waters. News soon going to explode worldwide was the whisper in the wind. Barbados is in trouble and this government might just have to eat – well we know what they might have to eat or drink no need to get crude or rude.

  10. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    From the time Fruendel them buried that damn pitchfork, it looks like they triggered a curse on themselves, none of them have been able to tell the truth since the day of their celebration, what a shame..lol

    Everything just keeps going to hell.

  11. Anonymouse - The Gazer Avatar
    Anonymouse – The Gazer

    @Sargeant
    Interesting…..
    One side praying for rain
    A next side praying for the rain to ‘hold-off’
    Does the fact that rain fell means that one side was unworthy of divine protection?
    Or does it mean that prayer is useless?
    One couldtan gle one self in knots thinking about this.

  12. Anonymouse - The Gazer Avatar
    Anonymouse – The Gazer

    We may need a motivational coach speaking to our MPs.
    The smile and the bravado may still be there, but the egos may be seriously damaged as everything they touch touches becomes broken.

  13. ac Avatar
    ac

    The sluice gate alone cannot do the complete job of servicing the plant and the swamp before the sewage plant was built there were three channels that empitied the sludge from the surrounding areas into the sea.
    Now i belive two of those channels have been blocked or in no longer in use
    The problems are more complex than that of fixing the technical aspect but finding solutions that are cohesive and workable between the plant and the eco system

  14. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/12/13/govt-no-show-for-worthing-town-hall/

    Those frauds in government could not turn up for any townhall meeting, they would not be able to remember which lies were told, there were so many they spewed……lol

  15. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Kevin December 14, 2016 at 11:01 AM
    “The sluice gate needs to be opened again. The road where you stand to fish in is partially flooded. Close Worthing Beach again, send out notices on air and in print media for the reason the gate has to be opened. Do it now before winter season really kicks in.”

    Oh ye of little faith! Why are you so alarmist about the situation, ye prophet of doom and gloom?

    Don’t you trust the assurances of both Minister Boyce (MoH) and Minister Sealy (MoT)?
    According to these trustworthy and loyal ministers of the Crown, the beach (not the one of the Mighty Gabby’s fame) is safe and there is no black people poo in the sea.

    The beach should not have been closed in the first place, that is the position taken by both dedicated hardworking ministers who have sworn allegiance to Her Majesty and even more recent to Her grandson Prince Henry of Wales.

    Are you saying these honourable gentlemen don’t know what they are talking about and they deliberately misled the nation (especially you and the band of crappy acs)?

    We are a bit disappointed the MoT did not make a marketing plug for Barbados as being a unique destination for poo bathing tourism that would even rival floating in the Dead Sea.

    He could have convincingly advertised Barbados by saying: There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting a good suntan while inhaling a good spliff of a whiff of Bajan ‘browning’ spiced up with some aging organic matter from swamp.

    Hard ears you did not listen and refused to do anything, bye and bye will the tourists say.

  16. John Avatar
    John

    Today, Dec 14 was the next spring tide following the one on Independence Day, the day after the downpour.

    Looks like there will be another in 2 weeks.

    According to the website below, today’s spring tide was 3 foot.

    It was higher than the one on Independence Day!!

    https://www.tide-forecast.com/locations/Bridgetown-Barbados/tides/latest

    The difference is of course, we did not have a 6 inch down pour yesterday!!

    When I look at the channel leading to the sluice gate at high tide the water level looks lower than sea level.

    From the discoloration of the walls it is easy to tell that the normal water level had been perhaps six inches higher.

    It looks as though the level of the wetlands was reduced from whatever it rose to after the rainfall to just below sea level.

    It would have been interesting to have seen the highest level in the channel but I suspect it might have been close to overflowing if not overflowing given there was flooding on the road!!

    Two manholes on the Esso Big B stretch were weeping.

    If the level in the wetlands had been 6 inches higher I suspect they would have been gushing and everybody would be swearing blind there was a sewage leak running the blood of the folks at BWA to water.

    Looks like water has risen out of the ground by the utility pole by one of the weeping manholes.

    The water goes into the gutter and then into a drain which looks like it leads off to Peronne Gap.

    That might explain the fish kill there, water with perhaps low oxygen content filled the pond and killed the fish.

    Need to look at the drain closer and see where it goes.

    Looks like it follows the south boundary of the Big B car park.

  17. Nostradamus Avatar
    Nostradamus

    ac December 14, 2016 at 1:55 PM #
    “The sluice gate alone cannot do the complete job of servicing the plant and the swamp before the sewage plant was built there were three channels that empitied the sludge from the surrounding areas into the sea.
    Now i belive two of those channels have been blocked or in no longer in use”

    What “three channels” are you talking about? What are “channels” .

  18. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Since the ACs cannot answer, you know they dont know what the hell they are talking about and will hae to search out people to ask…lol, hahaha

  19. John Avatar
    John

    When I look at the channel leading to the sluice gate at high tide the water level looks lower than sea level.
    From the discoloration of the walls it is easy to tell that the normal water level had been perhaps six inches higher.
    It looks as though the level of the wetlands was reduced from whatever it rose to after the rainfall to just below sea level.
    ++++++++++++++++++++

    I need to revise that.

    What I think I saw was simply the lag between sea level peaking and water level in the wetland peaking.

    Eyeballing levels is inaccurate as well.

    Should have waited a bit longer or come back.

  20. ac Avatar
    ac

    Channels are used to manage the flow of inflow and out flow of the swamp to clean or flush any pollutants in the wetlands working like a sewer system interacting with the ocean which provide clean and fresh water for the wetlands they were three which were the main .since they are blocked because of man made intrusion it is most likely that the one sluice gate cannot single handily do a sufficient job to compensate for the loss of the other channels leading to back ups which become problematic for the south coast sewer system and surrounding environs .

    btw a little research goes a long way .

  21. John Avatar
    John

    Manholes still weeping and low tide so looks like a leak

    I have seen them completely dry after I saw them bubbling so maybe bubbling was due to leak too.

    I will keep an eye when I am in the area.

  22. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/12/15/not-good-2/

    Also read page 4 of BarbadosToday. “Mia identifies source of sewage mess.”

  23. GreenMonkey Avatar
    GreenMonkey

    One can only conclude that putting the current round of DLP ministers, PM included, in charge of Barbados, is akin to putting a falling down drunk alcoholic to run the village rum shop – no need to gaze into a gypsy fortune teller’s crystal ball to predict the inevitable results.

  24. GreenMonkey Avatar
    GreenMonkey

    Barbados Today: Mottley identifies source of sewage mess

    Opposition Leader Mia Mottley believes blocked outflow pipes at Needham Point are the cause of the raw sewage seeping through manholes and flowing onto the streets of the south coast.

    snip

    “Ten of the diffusers in the water are fully blocked, six of the diffusers are partially blocked, and only two are functioning,” the BLP leader claimed.

    “Therefore, it is no wonder that the Friday before Independence, by the Garrison, sewage started coming out there, because water finds the weakest points through which to extract itself, whether it is the manholes [or] the canals,” she added.

    Mottley contended that the diffusers had been blocked for a number of years, suggesting that they had not been maintained since the person whose responsibility it was to clean them died seven years ago.

    http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/12/15/mottley-identifies-source-of-sewage-mess/

  25. David Avatar
    David

    It seems that our silent government has forced Mia to share more information about the problem.

    https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/12/15/mottley-identifies-source-of-sewage-mess/

  26. David Avatar
    David

    If Mia is correct Donville needs to pose the his concern to Cabinet collegues.

  27. ac Avatar
    ac

    Mia might have identified the source but by all accounts the reasons are and will remain problematic as causes for the backs ups and blockage is over population and the commercialization of the area adjacent to the sanctuary where by the sewer system of the wetlands cannot handle the daily volume of cleaning the swamp and the excessive volume of sewage from the sewer plant ,
    The govt of the day when embarking on the use of the land for development was told about these imminent problems but choose to ignore,
    So here we are as a society just after thirteen years of building a sewer plant on swap land and after having given sufficient warning by well known experts in the field of environmental about impending problems sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind as nature have the final word

  28. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Wait, AC, are you an environmental engineer or are you spewing the political rhetoric your political masters are paying you to vomit on BU?

    How is it that no government minister has come on record to give Barbadians all this information you are so eagerly posting to this forum, inclusive of the political propaganda and trade mark “DLP blame game” shiite?

    It is obvious you do not have any knowledge of the issue and only regurgitating what you have been told to post to BU.

  29. ac Avatar
    ac

    shhhhhhhh shi..t man ,,,,,,rolling my eyes

  30. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    All these problems will be a thing of the past shortly as Sandals has stated in the press that it is bad for tourism.

  31. ac Avatar
    ac

    The problems have been brought about by the past in regards to influence and an indifference to environmental issues. Peter Allard must be laughing his a.ss off at those useless donkeys who had a self interest and a political will of defiance
    This is problem has grown to be multifaceted embedded on layers and layers of problems by which the wetlands have the answers.

  32. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    So it is a matter of blocked pipes? Sometime ago I wrote about the lack of ongoing maintenance of any Gov’t plant in Bim and now we are faced with the ongoing dilemma of sewage in the streets because someone died and wasn’t replaced (allegedly) and all kinds of broken equipment that are used to manage the sewage system. No wonder the sewage pipes developed constipation, in seven years they couldn’t find someone to take over the job but look on the bright side if they didn’t have to pay someone more money in the kitty to pay excess ministers.

    In the sewage disposal world what is the job of a diffuser? That revelation of the blocked pipes still leads me to believe that untreated sewage is being discharged in the ocean, it is just a matter of where it is being discharged.

    What the hell the sea purges itself, right?

  33. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Some shiite MUST be wrong with wunna Bajans….

    How difficult is it to work out that people who are unable to maintain a fleet of buses, …or garbage trucks, or hospital, or roads, or simple buildings, or drainage system, or water supply, or sugar industry, or police stations, or TV station, …or ANY shiite

    …and that people who are forced to outsource critical services such as food supply and retail, telecommunications, electricity, hotel management, banking, …and even tourism promotion to foreigners… CANNOT POSSIBLY run a sewerage system for longer than it takes for the system to clog up.?????

    Which part EXACTLY of ‘our ass is grass’ don’t you people understand?
    Which part of “the Devil monument seals it finally” is beyond wunna comprehension…?

    …mean wunna will need to await the FINAL collapse to see the obvious…?

    Steupsss…
    There are plenty ac’s around….

  34. John Avatar
    John

    It is difficult to believe that the state of the South Coast Sewage System could have reached such a state of repair or rather disrepair.

    I hope Mia Mottley has her facts and can prove the allegations.

    If she can, then heads should roll.

  35. John Avatar
    John

    One can only conclude that putting the current round of DLP ministers, PM included, in charge of Barbados, is akin to putting a falling down drunk alcoholic to run the village rum shop – no need to gaze into a gypsy fortune teller’s crystal ball to predict the inevitable results
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    They will probably say we inherited the mess from a “falling down drunk alcoholic”.

  36. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Bush Tea December 15, 2016 at 9:24 AM #

    “Steupsss… There are plenty ac’s around….”

    Shiite …. then “our ass is (really) grass” fuh trute, Bushie.

  37. COCKROACH DOES HEAR TINGS Avatar
    COCKROACH DOES HEAR TINGS

    Story jump out. Cockroach was sent a message through the clean air between United Kingdom and this here now sewage land where Cockroach does roam happily with families, that due to illness associated with sewage in seas declared to be clean by The Minister of Tourism; there is apparently strong lawful documentation going to be in the hands of government tourism agencies soon from an infected visitor. Money this government says it does not have, will have to pass big time to keep this quiet but cockroach is smart and he understands what domino effect means and how de press up an away does love a good sensational story to run with.

    So here we have:

    A government always busy pointing fingers at a previous government.

    A government spending money on anything but the sewage system not just now, but for all the years in power, and further to add insult to injury, admitting they knew same sewage system was faulty, openly saying so to the country while pointing those fingers and still not doing anything ’bout it.

    A government that has totally ignored the pleas of the people that put them into power to defend and protect them, too busy to care but just hoping the shit would go away.

    A government that allowed a Minister of Tourism to jump in the south coast sea right in the area of the sewage problem, declaring it and the beach clean in the media while another shirtless wonder took to facebook with naked upper body drinking water that in his estimation, is still made in heaven – opening the country to huge danger, possible loss of life and certainly loss of the only business they have left to bring in some much required foreign money, tourism. Loss + loss only equals more more loss.

    Putting dirty foot in mouth only helps cockroach. Cockroach does roam frolicking in beautiful stink sewage with families and feelers to the ground knowing what happens when sewage gets into drinking water too. Happiness for cockroach. Come little families time to go for a road swim. Happy 50th to us!

  38. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Thisis what happens in this modern age of the internet. News travels.

    https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g147262-i230-k1604393-What_s_this_about_sewage_runoff-Barbados.html

  39. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Cockroach
    So when the jackasses in government run the country to total ruin…. who will pay the piper…?
    …not the same brass bowls that sat on their backsides and allowed the jackasses to grind the place to a halt?
    …wuh you getting on as though the DLP jackasses will pay the bill.
    Did they pay Barrack?
    Are they paying the BLP lawyers who empowered and then defended him?
    Are they paying the price of all the folly …. or are we brass bowls’ paying with our scrunting?

    Steupsss…

    Wanted…
    A Guillotine …new or used..
    Not needed to be too sharp, we can use multiple drops if needed….

  40. COCKROACH DOES HEAR TINGS Avatar
    COCKROACH DOES HEAR TINGS

    @ Bush Tea
    Cockroach and families will not pay. We having too much fun frolicking in what man has caused as a gift to us for 50 years of Independence – lots of gooeey sweet brown stinky crap.

    Government might not be able to pay anyone in dollar bills but will pay with loss of foreign currency and a tourism product gone to shit.

    When you do not pay attention, you lose in the end.

    If the people of Barbados get up off their sorry asses and remove this government, well, the problems will not go away but at least perhaps they might be addressed. If not, then best to get rid of that one too. Maybe some young ones with business sense will decide to form a new party to bring hope.

    There is nothing in life that cannot be fixed, even death, all it takes is wanting to do the fixing and getting on with the fixing. So says cockroach as he jumps in and out of toilet paper and other matters too beautiful to tell the world. I do not want foreign cockroaches arriving here and encroaching on my sewage and that is the truth. So let it stay so.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    Looks like they finally prioritized remedial action of the weeping manhole next to KFC. Is it still weeping though? The remedial action was to fix the road area around the cover, not the weeping.

    We have a 60 million BWA headquarters so why worry.

    ac is a JA.

  42. John Avatar
    John

    Does the decision regarding liability of the GOB to the GHNS only apply in the case of the BIT or does it have implications for locals seeking redress for loss through the courts here?

    ++++++++++++++++++++++

    …. and of course if little you do go and fall sick, is the GOB liable?

    Has a precedent been set by an international court?

    Can’t be …. must be only under the BIT

  43. ac Avatar
    ac

    Most likely the idea of the project was built around a dual system that does no longer have the support of the wetlands
    Indeed heads should roll off the heads that perpetrated this dastardly act on one section of society and the wetlands
    Hard ears wont hear now society feels

    David does it really matter what names you called me..afterall u were one of the many who stood bold faced against those that warned about the sustanabilty and viability of the wetlands impact by extensive development
    I think u should be using the descrpitive adjective of jas towards your self

  44. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    You and Richard Sealy go and take a dip!

    https://youtu.be/wNcZUD27cTg

    #JAs

  45. ac Avatar
    ac

    Ok nincompoop keep up with your attacks does not bother me the least.
    But what bothers me is the callouness of a past govt whose self interest has now presented itself in the form of shite across the highways.

  46. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    This is really, really unfair to the residents and business owners like Mustor and all Sealy and Boyce are doing is tell lies…to the same public they need to be reelected, well not this time, get rid of all the government ministers, kick them out, they are nasty, lying and deceitful..

  47. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    If there is a mass casualty because of running and floating shit, the QEH cannot handle such an event, it too has been neglected by Dumbville Inniss and this lying clown Boyce.

  48. David Avatar
    David

    And you JA this is why they were booted from office for the last 9 years.

    #japarexcellence

  49. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Stupid ACs..the opposition cannot be kicked out of parliament for incompetence and neglect of state owned entities, particularly what ya seeing in that poop video…..go ask someone intelligent to explain that to you…..

    …..and stop before you start trying to make the voters feel that this government can lock up Mia and Owen for the shit yall got flowing in the streets, yall are liars and no one will believe you, all of you should be arrested for this dangerous and unhealthy filth that you own.

  50. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/91441/ministry-drainage-issues

    Maybe they can learn something from another island.

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