A major breakdown of the South Coast Sewage plant leading into the last general election created a ‘black eye’ for the country. It was one of many issues that probably led to the large defeat of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in 2018. The sight of sewage flowing on the street in Worthing, Christ Church forcing tourists and locals to navigate with caution remains a vivid memory. The government of the day in a PR move designed to assure the public the area was safe saw former Ministers John Boyce and Richard Sealy taking a ‘dip’ in the Worthing Beach. The Barbados Government Information Service soon issued announcements that the beach was closed because of poor water quality.
It is worth mentioning that the Bridgetown Sewage plant is also under stress because of a deteriorating physical plan and it will take millions of dollars to rehabilitate the existing plant or build a new plant to efficiently manage waste in Barbados. The question asked and discussed on BU’s pages is why would a functioning government apparatus have allowed the good management of the sewage plant to have become compromised.
The blogmaster read with interest a report in yesterday’s Nation newspaper Warning: Keep grease from sewerage system. The report highlighted the misuse of the sewage system (after all the problems) by south coast users which has led to creating additional pressure on a failing physical plant.
THERE IS TOO much debris and grease in Barbados’ sewerage system, says Minister of Water Resources Ian Gooding-Edghill, to the point where it is time to take another look at the penalties associated with clogging it up … We [continue to] have a major challenge with grease. Since the plant was constructed in 2003, we’ve had some challenges in respect to that. Here at the South Coast Sewage Plant we haul out about 170 000 US (United States) gallons on an annual basis and at the Bridgetown Plant, I am advised we haul out about 400 000 US gallons annually,” he said.
Nation newspaper 05 Nov 2020
What this blogmaster struggles to understand is why would this government suggest it needs “to take another look at the penalties associated with clogging it up [South Coast Sewage Plant].” Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill had the opportunity – while touring the facility last Monday – to name and shame the offending companies to send a strong message. Why should a few actors operating businesses on the South Coast be allowed to compromise the health of the country, injure the national brand and in the process create a significant financial liability for the country.
The blogmaster can find no evidence that offenders of the sewage system have been fined based on existing laws. What the situation reminds us is the reluctance of successive governments to enforce laws on the books. We have those who withhold NIS and VAT monies into the Treasury. We have the flouting of traffic laws by private citizens and PSV operators. There are many examples available to expose the failing of the authorities to enforce laws on the books. There is a failing of private citizens to exercise discipline to observe the laws of the country.
We can continue to engage in trivial political debate about if BLP or DLP is responsible and see where that leads us at this juncture in our history.
I saw this article and I was wondering why action is not being taken against those food businesses known to be delininquent in the maintenance of grease traps. What is so difficult about maintaining grease traps that leniency would be required?
A lot of people engage in magical thinking. If it is flushed down the toilet like magic it disappears.
No it does not. If it is a solid, or something that becomes solid once it cools it stays and clogs up the system. So no grease in the system please, no condoms in the system please, no sanitary napkins in the system please, no diapers in the system please, no dental floss in the system please, no plastics whatever in the system please, no miscarried fetuses in the system please, no wads of drug money in the system please, no packages of marijuana, cocaine etc. down the system please, no guns down the system please. No popsicle systems in the system please. A five year old nephew of mine once flushed a popsicle stick down my toilet. I did not know that he had done this. Subsequent flushes of toilet paper and sh!t wrapped around the stuck stick which was lodged crosswise far down the toilet as the plumber subsequently discovered. It gave the plumber grief to diagnose and solve. It cost me a good bit of money too. But the child was 5. What is the matter with we big people that we still doing five year old foolishness?
If it is not PEE, POO or toilet PAPER do NOT flush it down the system. Menstrual blood is permitted, but not sanitary napkins or tampons.
All of the above need to be wrapped, and put out with the garbage.
And please, please put out the garbage in a garbage can with a locked on lid, or the dogs, rats and other vermin will make a mess of things.
(Quote):
What the situation reminds us is the reluctance of successive governments to enforce laws on the books. We have those who withhold NIS and VAT monies into the Treasury. We have the flouting of traffic laws by private citizens and PSV operators. There are many examples available to expose the failing of the authorities to enforce laws on the books. There is a failing of private citizens to exercise discipline to observe the laws of the country.(Unquote).
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Now who is “throwing shade on Barbados” other than the same political class (and their lackeys) responsible for the growing risks being posed to public sanitation and health?
Any further breakdown of the sewerage systems (especially in a Covid-conscious environment) and Barbados can kiss any prospects of tourism recovery bye-bye.
@Miller
There is a difference between constructive criticism and ‘throwing shade’.
@ David Bu
What is the connection between the non enforcement of the laws relating to the South Coast Sewerage System and your post on speed of processing real estate development ?
@Vincent
We have a systemic issue as it relates to good decision making.
@Miller
“Now who is “throwing shade on Barbados” other than the same political class (and their lackeys) responsible for the growing risks being posed to public sanitation and health?”
Excellent catch.
It appears that only local pedigree persons can comment on problems in Barbados. Similar comments by an overseas non-pedigree individual would have drawn fire.
” Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill had the opportunity – while touring the facility last Monday – to name and shame the offending companies to send a strong message. Why should a few actors operating businesses on the South Coast be allowed to compromise the
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David
Can you name some of the companies?
The enforcing department here should be the BWA. The minister can look at/make as many laws as he want or hold the BWA nothing will happen until the “enforcers” are held accountable. it a bajan condition.
@John2
Gooding-Edghill has no issue shaming the public officers when discussing the fiasco as Warrens.
David
I have not a clue what you are talking about
However. Shaming is not enforcing.
Calling name today and the grease still going down the drain will still lead us back to where we were before
What do you want ? Shaming or enforcement
Is BWA even inspecting the grease traps?
Sewage was flowing in the streets when I was in Worthing four years ago. I was told the system could not cope and a new system was being considered. I was also told at the time it had been happening for years.
Fixing sewage systems is a very expensive operation, but it has to be done. I left Barbados where I was booked for a two week stay after only four days. I went to Grenada and spent in the end three months there.
The tourists are not in Bados at the moment and if you are not coping when the system is not under the extra pressure of overload from tourists then thing must have got worse. I really is a problem that has to be fixed.
They’re only fixing the properites they TIEF from elderly people and their beneficiaries, while busily SELLING THEM OFF TO FOREIGN INTERESTS so the people who they stole them from will NEVER get them back.,,
…tiefing cow should write a book about that….old FRAUD…only the ignorant slaves in Barbados, will continue to promote his evil dried up dying ass… he is the one called yall slaves ok, publicly and in the local news, that is what the minorities call yall, ah heard them myself more than once,
Have a great day Barbados.
Wura, it is good to have you reporting for duty.
@NJG
“The tourists are not in Bados at the moment and if you are not coping when the system is not under the extra pressure of overload from tourists then thing must have got worse. I really is a problem that has to be fixed.”
Well said
Have a great day Barbados
The problem “jolly” is talking about was solved nearly two years ago, THERE IS NO MORE SEWAGE RUNNING IN THE STREETS OF BARBADOS.
More importantly the management of sewage and related is not solved. A temporary fix is in place.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/11/05/treatment-plant-still-on-the-cards/
Not that I will change the world. In my home we collect all the used cooking oil and filter it. Use it one or two times more. Then when it is time to dispose, well I have the luxury of living on half an acre of land. Therefore I take the oil and pour it out in different areas on the property.
Maybe there should be an island wide government/private sector initiative to collect all cooking oil from every restaurant, hotel and food service company and have a single plant that can dispose of it in a “cleaner” way or frankly burn it away and at least generate some electricity.
There is no perfect clean green answer to this problem, but getting electricity from vegetable oil is I feel a great end use of this product, rather than flushing it down into our sewage system
Also what about the dump.that too is under pressure
Govt bought new spanking garbage trucks
However the issue surrounding the dump.and its inability to hold more garbage has been placed on the back burner
Having garbage trucks to pick.up street garbage although a plausible effort cannot realistically remove a major problem of how the collected tons of garbage would be disposed if the dump is already filled to capacity
https://barbadostoday.bb/2020/11/07/religious-leader-says-sex-unions-would-put-population-numbers-in-jeopardy/
“And therefore, same-sex civil unions feminizes our men, masculinizing our women, and we do not think that that is sustainable and productive for this country. Therefore, from the west where we began, to St George Central, to Bridgetown where we were last week, here in St Philip in the east, we are declaring that Government needs to rescind their orders, their laws and step back from those intentions because it will not be beneficial to Barbados, it will be detrimental,”
(1) Same sex union does not feminize men. There will be no heterosexual men taking part in same sex union.
(2) lt does not masculinize women. A woman does not get married to a woman and then discover that she loves sex with a woman; that ship passed well before the union.
Same sex union will have little or no impact on the birth of children…
It might actually increase the number of children finding good homes, as after marriage these couples may want to be parents to a child.
What we do in Barbados when we have a problem with restaurants clogging the sewage system is to bestow a knighthood on the head of the company and that solves the problem.
How is this when lawyers can already legally give financial advice? What qualifications do lawyers need to act as auctioneers? Do auctioneers need formal qualifications?
Floyd Reifer has already started community projects with the help of the St. George people without asking Mia for any help
Mia boldly stated that any big works that need to be done in SGN needed her approval and Reifer cant do anything without her say so
Well so far she is wrong
The people of SGN and other communities have already given their vote of confidence to Reifer
#####bigworksrefier11thnov