‘National crisis’

Describing the situation with the South Coast Sewage Plant as a “national crisis”, Prime Minister Mia Mottley said she does not know how it was not treated to as a “national emergency” before, and has given
the assurance that her Government will ensure that it now gets the attention it deserves.

She made the comments while engaging the media yesterday afternoon after taking a tour of Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary, which has been affected by the sewage spillage. Mottley and some of her ministers, among them Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Wilfred Abrahams; Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey; Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Kerrie Symmonds; and Minister of Environment and National Beautification, Trevor Prescod had the opportunity to see firsthand what is taking place on the South Coast.

“…This government will treat to it as a national emergency because this is what it is. Those of you who are standing here, your noses are telling you that as we speak,” she said.

As she referred to the travel advisories issued by other countries concerning the sewage on the South Coast and the complaints from residents and businesspersons as well, Mottley said it was imperative that her new Government visit the area and see for themselves what is going on and to talk to those who have been affected.

“We have had more travel advisories on this issue than we have ever had on any other issue – on crime, on natural disasters, on anything. So if you have Germany, Canada, UK, US and everybody saying that they express their concerns about it, are we going to wait until the rainy season and the tourism season comes again to deal with it? No, all Bajans will roll up their sleeves and we are going to deal with this now. If it means we can’t do some others because of unavailability of funds, so be it. But we have to have life first, and this is what gives us life in terms of public health and in terms of the economy,” she added.

To deal with the challenges being experienced in the Graeme Hall Swamp, Prime Minister Mottley said that a proposed the eight-inch pipe should ease the situation with the swamp considerably and allow the officials the opportunity to determine how best to flush the swamp, or whether to let it rejuvenate naturally. During yesterday’s visit it was evident that sewage had seeped into the nature sanctuary and was posing a risk to trees which were immersed in it.

Given that reality, she said a Cabinet Paper, to be undertaken by Minister Prescod and the environmental officials and due next Thursday, will address the way forward in respect of dealing with the swamp.

“I don’t have eyes in the back of my head, we have to move forward but Barbados should never and Barbadians should never be in this position. I trust and pray that we will now take decisions, not just only for the short term but for the long term, because as I indicated, on a parallel track my ministry of Economic Affairs will ensure that the South Coast and Bridgetown Sewage Plants are the top priority on the public sector investment programme and I have asked also for a brief on how we will treat to the West Coast,” she stated.

The Prime Minister made the point as she said that Barbados will have to move to tertiary treatment of the sewage, to make sure that the water that comes out when it is treated is capable of replenishing either the aquifers or being used for irrigation, which farmers need urgently.

“Remember I’ve said all along government is about choices and we must have the political will. If we do this here it may mean something else here will suffer, but it is our judgement that this is the most important thing nationally outside of the stabilisation of our economy for us to deal with, and that is why we are here and that’s why the decisions will be made,” she contended. (JRT)