The earth around this sewerage pump located next to the Callwood

At the meeting which was chaired by Pastor Claude Skelton Cline and Bishop John Cline, residents spoke out opening about several issues in their community and highlighted the absent of their representative Alvin Christopher to help address their issues and concerns.

Several residents pointed to the sewerage situation in the community and how it affects the Ivan Dawson Primary School in particular. One resident stated that prior to the reopening of school; the school compound was flooded and contaminated with sewerage water. She questioned whether the place was sanitized before school was reopened and whether the cistern at the school was cleaned and sanitized.

The sewerage system which was erected some 13 years ago is sitting behind the Ivan Dawson Primary School which often overflows while the stench from the system when it rains often leads to dismissal of school, residents said.

“No country in the world do they allow their children to be walking through feces, it’s an epidemic waiting to happen,” Pastor Skelton Cline said at the meeting.

At the meeting which attracted Leader of the Opposition Dr. D. Orlando Smith, 7^th District Representative Dr. Kedrick Pickering and other members of the National Democratic Party, one resident noted that several of the underground pipes for the system is beginning to rot and they see it as another disaster waiting to happen. Many questioned the maintenance of the system which often overflows.

One resident Lenise Callwood who lives almost on the beach, took VINO to her home, where her kitchen was built above a sewerage pump.  She had to remove her kitchen from the area since whenever the tank overflows it goes directly on the beach and sends an unbearable stench throughout her home.

She pointed to a second pump located next to her house and the operating equipment for the pump which has been leaning and the earth around it has caved in since the passage of Hurricane Ivan. She has since contacted the Water and Sewerage Department but no one has since come to look at it, she said.

Callwood and other residents are hoping that action will be taking in the community to address their sewerage system before it is too late.

When the sewerage system is working effectively, the sludge treated with chemical is being dumped on the corals.

In a presentation that was given by Shannon Gore of the Conservation and Fisheries Department, she highlighted the severe impact such actions which she pointed out through the presentation with pictures, is destroying the fragile coral reef in the bay. In addition, it was pointed out that because the water flow in the bay is slow, at times the sludge washes back on the beach which leaves sedimentation and contamination.

She was questioned by one resident as to what can be done to restore the beach to its true colour. Gore said it can be restored naturally very slowly but it can only be done if sewer water stops going directly onto the beach.

Several other issues were brought out at the meeting, including derelict vehicles in the community, theft and road repairs.

At the meeting, everyone attending was given a survey to prioritise the top five issues in the community and the Concerned Citizens of Cane Garden Bay and Brewers Bay group told residents they will be putting together more information on the issues and seek to get action and keep the residents informed.

The presentations that were made at the meeting will be submitted to Premier Ralph T. O’Neal, Leader of the Opposition Dr. D. Orlando Smith, the Minister for Natural Resources and the District Representative.