CGB Environmental Group demands halt of drainage project
The drainage at the bottom of Ross Hill leads into the sea at Cane Garden Bay Beach. The CGB environmental group is demanding a halt to this project citing the unfiltered water will affect water quality and kill the corals, among other things. Photo: Carmilita Jamieson/VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The recently formed Cane Garden Bay Environment Action Committee is demanding that the project at the bottom of Ross Hill where the water from the ghut is routed directly to the sea be stopped.
The group is also insisting to see any environmental studies on the plan to have such a project which they firmly protest will have damaging effects on the environment.
VINO was taken to the area yesterday July 25, 2011 where it was explained by members of the group that based on how the drainage was set up, water coming down from the Cane Garden Bay hill, was routed from the ghut and will flow straight into the sea which is wrong.
Shannon Gore of Conservation and Fisheries told VINO on site yesterday that such a move is wrong, pointing out the damage that is being done to the environment with such an approach.
“It completely destroys the water quality, destroys fisheries and kills the reefs that are actually protecting that beach. So we will have bigger, faster waves coming in,” she explained.
“All these hillsides when it rains the water goes straight into the sea, there is nowhere for it to settle. What we are trying to do down here, like management plans and getting a beach policy, undermines everything,” she further stated, adding that it is well known there needs to be settling area before the water goes to the sea.
And while none of the four ponds in Cane Garden Bay are currently active, they are needed to sustain the water that comes down into the bay, Ms. Gore said scientists were brought down earlier this year and “were looking at it. We are trying to get the money to have them show us how to redo the ponds or any kind of restoration and figure out the settling areas but there is no money to do it.”
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the CBG Eco Action Committee last evening July 26, 2011 following a meeting of the group, they said, “We demand to see any environmental studies on the current plan, as well as any other supporting documents on this project. We demand to have the project halted before further damage is done.”
The group explained that one of its members spoke last week to contractor of the project Daniel Cline, advising him that there was no quick fix solution and such a move was going to be disastrous for the community.
“He was told that the water should have been routed to the Ghut and then the ponds for runoff and not directly to the ocean. His response was that the water always went to the ocean and he was corrected that the water always went to the Ghut, pond and then the ocean. Mr. Cline then agreed, that is right,” the environmental group said, noting that it is also their understanding that Conservation and Fisheries had already advised that it was not in the best interest of the community for the water to go directly to the ocean.
Cane Garden Bay Environmental Action Committee Members of the newly formed Cane Garden Bay Environmental Action Committee with Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer and staff of the Conservation and Fisheries Department (CFD). Back row from left to right: Angela Burnett Penn (CFD), Kareem Rhymer (Project Manager), Bertrand Lettsome (Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer), José Decastro (Vice President), Enriquito Rymer (Project Manger), Kazemde Farrington (President) and Claude Skelton Cline. Front row from left to right – Lorna Dawson (Secretary), Carol Hodge (Treasurer), Claudia Hodge (Public Relations Officer), Harriette Rymer (Asst. Secretary/Treasurer) and Atoya George (CFD)
They said the project was then halted and as a Committee they were surprise to see the project restarted using the same old plans, without any discussions with the community. “So, tell us, why is the project being completed? When we already know the disastrous out come? How many times are we going to waste the people’s money completing projects incorrectly, only to have to do them over again? Why can’t we just get it right the first time?”
The environmental group which was only formed last week, said they expect the District Representative, Government Departments and any other groups to meet with them prior to implementation of any projects to ensure that the community has an input in the future of their village.
“As a committee our goal is to retain, restore and preserve the infrastructure of the community and any projects incorrectly carried out, we will ensure that they are corrected. We want to be proactive and not reactive to issues. In working together with all the stakeholders, we expect to have more environmentally correct outcomes, as well as retaining, restoring and preserving the community.”
They said they have contacted the Director of Public Works Department Dr. Drexel Glasgow, Minister of Communications and Works Hon. Julian Fraser RA and 2nd District Representative Alvin Christopher to attend a meeting with the CGB EcoAction Committee and members of the community and also plans to extend invitations to all At Large Representatives as well.
Mr. Gary Penn is presently filling in for Dr. Glasgow, who is on leave, and the group said he has offered his commitment to attend the meeting once scheduled and they are currently waiting for a call back from both the 2nd District representative and the Minister for Communications and Works.
The group further states that they are very concerned that any heavy rain fall will create excessive flooding, as well as, may result in additional damage to the beach, and further damage to the already damage coral reef and are further concerned that it will be worst as it is the Hurricane season.
Meanwhile, Claude Skelton Cline, 2nd District candidate and CGB resident said what such a project does is “it further undermines what we are trying to accomplish in Cane Garden Bay which has been a slow and tragic deterioration of the entire bay area.”
According Pastor Cline, Public Works said it is the least expensive way to address the issue and his position is that it is the most expensive.
“We cannot afford to destroy the very thing we are trying to sell in our tourism product which is white sand, crystal clear water and a bright sunshine. It would have been more feasible and effective to run the drainage to the pond which is nature’s natural way of retaining sediments and debris from the mountains and the road sides,” he explained to VINO.
He is accusing Government of destroying the bay area and the business and families who depend on the beach for their livelihood. “This is irresponsible, reckless, no nice way to put this. We need to find a way to shut this down.”
VINO made calls to the Conservation and Fisheries Department to speak with Mr. Kelvin Penn, but up to press time, our calls were not returned. VINO is also expecting to get a feedback from the Public Works Department sometime during the course of the day.
The recently formed CGB Environmental Action Committee was formed with the blessings of the Conservation and Fisheries Department and is expected to assist the department in the sustainable management of the Cane Garden Bay environment.
Members of the Executive committee are President, Kazemde Farrington; Vice-president, José Decastro; Secretary, Lorna Dawson; Treasurer, Carol Hodge; Assistant to the Secretary and Treasurer, Harriet Rymer; Public Relations Officer, Claudia Hodge; and Project Managers, Kareem and Enriquito ‘Quito’ Rymer.
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none of these folks are engineers, 75% of them are ndp’s, so thats expected…a political stunt by the pastor
Do you have a job, or do you offer ignorance at no cost? I wish I could see you in person to see if you really agree with the things that you type.
i want to know who this person is..hope VIP paying them like the NDP paying dem people to blog all day yall
Why does everything have to be political????!!!!! This is serious and need to be fixed in the right way. They may not be engineers but they are trying to get the money to get the right people to do the job right. What are the Government’s Engineers doing?
who are the right people? pastor clines people?
That Claude likes to get in front the news…but you wait till Alvin ready for he!
for real!!!!!! hope he could take what Christopher planning for he…school children say the file is long real long
those silly greedy people in cane garden bay waz the ones who fulled all the ponds with dem mess, created their now come on here blaming the public works, and government who only trying to fix the mess. this is just the usual NDP potricks but anit going work..our eye wide open…
well at least the same government that they said is not doing anything trying a thing and they meking a bunch of noise…struppppppps
I visited the site for myself and it really much to do about nothing. A few NDP and supporters of Cline trying to score political points that all that is going on!
If you want to keep cline quite just give the work to he Uncle Pops…end of story
people just give Skelton-Cline Uncle POPS the job and you will keep him quite…end of story
Much do about nothing. They said Skelton-Cline called the media and trying to blow this up…but we not buying it.
“NATIVE SON” but he running for office so that is what he should do
The country is falling apart and some of you bloggers are talking about Skelton-Cline. You totally missed the issue at hand. If you have taken notice, I doubt it, the tourism product is evaporating. So keep ignoring the issue and BVI will not be a tourist attraction. No matter how much money you throw at the issue, the problem is still will not be resolved because of a lack of leadership. Sad commentary, you all are really missing the point.
There are many issues…the biggest is Cline playing politics.
In the VI the primary receiving water for runoff is the sea. The runoff run from the various watersheds flows into the ghuts and finally into the sea. In some areas the runoff may be detained in ponds. But most of the runoff flows into the sea. And growth and development (impervious cover: roof tops, paved surfaces..etc) has dramatically increased the volume and the velocity of runoff. As runoff flows over the land, it picks up a variety of pollutants( animal/bird waste, pesticides, herbicides, motor oils, residue from brake linings, detergents…etc). These pollutants can impair the receiving water (sea.) This impairment damaged reefs, and make the sea non-swimmable and non fish-able. Clearly, this restrict the water from being used for its beneficial purposes. And adversely affects tourism. What is the solution?
The runoff can be detained with a control release to the sea. A properly designed detention pond will caused pollutants, debris, and sediments to settle out. The question is available acreage. Secondly, the runoff can be retained. But retention ponds will be a challenge, for they require acreage. Unlike detention ponds which will eventually discharge into the sea, retention ponds are permanent storage. Thirdly, the runoff can be collected and treated before being discharged into the sea. Expensive but feasible. Or lastly it may require a combination of detention, retention, treatment, and direct runoff. Runoff is a problem but it must seriously address to protect the receiving water from becoming impaired. It can not be business as usual. This is a problem in Cane Garden but it is an issue territory wide.
I hope that the BVI has more concerned citizens than what is apparant from this blog. This Is a serious issue. One of the countries most beautiful beaches, one that draws hundreds of people each day from visiting cruise ships and many more on their chartered yachts, is deteriorating. The sands are no longer white, the waters no longer turquoise. The reefs are dying. This is not an issue raised for political reasons but it should be a political priority. I find it difficult to believe the people would turn a blind eye and watch a part of their country die. Does no one care about Tortola? Is everyone so self-centered not to be concerned about the earth, the environment, the land that is called home? If you don’t care because it’s not in your back yard, because you don’t swim or don’t go to Cane then please I beg of you to do some research on what a reef is and what happens when they are destroyed. Educate yourselves and take heed of what the future will be like for your children’s children if we continue to abuse the mother land. You reap what you sow and there are one too many persons who are killing this country out of pure selfishness and ignorance. WAKE UP people! Take care of this land.
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