BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – OFFICIALS from the Solid Waste Management Cooperation (SWMC) were shocked last week when they found an illegal landfill being operated in the Ottley’s area.
Operations Supervisor at the SWMC Wilmon McCall – in an interview with SKNVibes – explained how the discovery was made.
“We received information about this private landfill being operated in Ottley’s Village. It is up towards Ottley’s Plantation Inn so it is due east. If there is a gust of wind the fumes will go right up into Ottley’s Plantation. A citizen walked by one day and he saw what was - to his amazement - an area where solid waste never told anybody about. He directed me to where it was and I found it.
“The gentleman apparently did work for and in some cases does work for one or two small organisations and he would take them there instead of going to the landfill and he disposes them there. He also has a pig farm - with about 14 to 17 pigs - which is in deplorable condition. The pig food I see him giving the pigs, I would not feed that to any living creature.”
He described some of the items that were disposed at the illegal landfill.
“The problem that we found was a lot of galvanize, refrigerators, washing machine, stoves, areas where pallets were burnt, numerous sections with plastic bottles and that sort of thing. It was not a pretty sight to behold but we eventually got there.”
McCall explained some of the sanctions that can be imposed on the individual who was responsible for the unauthorised landfill.
“Despite the carnage and confusion, what I can do is give a $500 fine one way. If we give him two weeks to a month to get these things cleared, and if he fails to live up to that, another $500-fine would be imposed and you can give him that as long as he does not do it. That is when it could get nasty and expensive. Already it would cost - in my view to get those things move from there to the landfill - $6000 because you have to get equipment.
“That might get nasty because he would not meet the deadline that we have. Not only that, I have instructed the officers to say he cannot move anything unless we are present. Whenever he wishes to move, call us, we would be present to make sure he moves from point A to point B.”
The Operations Supervisor then outlined some of the destruction the landfill could have caused.
“Let’s look at the devastation that could have been cause. We have in the country a virus going around by the mosquito called Chikungunya. We are still fortunate to have been spared dengue which is lethal; it kills you and to have the situation where the entire country was at risk and we cannot allow that to go unchecked.”
Warning others not to engage in such an act, McCall stated, “It is illegal it is dangerous it is up to you to recognize your responsibility to your country to keep it clean.”
