File Photo: Picture taken by a Ken H. of a burning in Pockwood Pond in 2008.

Speaking to VINO this morning Friday, January 7, 2011 via telephone Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office, Rosalie Adams, apologised for the situation that has led to public outcry from residents of St. John and is confident that a formal response will be completed by next week with recommendations to remedy the situation.

The burning at  Pockwood Pond has been intermittently affecting residents of the neighbouring USVI island of St. John for several years. But the most recent burning occurred during the Christmas holidays, leading into the early part of the New Year where black smoke emanating from the external burning at the incinerator plant became almost unbearable and affected businesses and individuals on the western end of the island of Tortola and those on St. John - particularly residents in the Coral Bay area.

Mrs. Adams told VINO that in late 2009, there was a meeting between the VI and the USVI Governmnets where an apology was issued and the VI had stated it would take certain measures to remedy the situation with the new incinerator, which was expected to have been ready by the middle of 2010.

Today Friday January 7, 2010, the smoke has been visibly reduced at the Pockwood Pond site. Photo: VINO

The current incinerator at Pockwood Pond does not have the capacity to accommodate the high overflow of garbage and the new incinerator was expected to rectify that problem. However, it was not ready due to mechanical and electrical outfittings that are still outstanding.

However, the latest situation seem to indicate that the sorting had not been attended to as was agreed, Mrs. Adams stated.

The Permanent Secretary said she has since passed on the relevant information about the situation to the ministry responsible, the Ministry of Health and Social Development, who will also have dialogue with the Premier so that a formal response can be prepared to send to the USVI Governor on the matter.

The new incinerator is expected to be ready early this year. Photo: VINO

In addition, the PS said they are also looking into what is preventing the readiness of the new incinerator which would solve the outdoor burning issue.

She noted that she wants to give a definite answer to the USVI about the new incinerator which is expected to be up and running by early this year, 2011.

Meanwhile, in an article published in the St. Thomas Source on January 4, 2011 titled “Tortola dump fire has St. John residents fuming”, several residents of St. John expressed their frustration with the open fire and one resident even suggested that they take the matter to the United Nations.

In that article, Sen. Craig Barshinger, who lives on St. John, stated that he would have contacted Premier Ralph T. O’Neal and Deputy Premier Dancia Penn to see what plans they had to resolve the issue.

The Senator proposed that waste from the BVI be sent to the USVI to use in a “waste-to-energy” facility in the USVI.

He further stated that since “pet coke” won’t be used in the proposed Alpine Energy facility, the USVI will need more garbage than it normally produces to run the plant.

“We could offer to take it for a fee,” he was reported as saying in the article.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Adams said such a move would resolve the burning at Pockwood Pond and she has already put forward that information to the Ministry of Health about the suggestion.

However, she stated that it is for the VI to look into the alternative to see whether it is feasible, a fact or a fiction.