Cesspool poses health threat
Health Officer promises quick response

By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Many tourists and passers-by have made complaints to this media house in relation to drainage from the outflow at Westbourne Ghaut which forms a collection of mucky water on the beach adjacent to the Ferry terminal.

It is widely said that this area has grown to be the habitat of rodents and has played a major role in the proliferation of mosquitoes in the area. 

It has equally been viewed as a major health hazard vendors and fishermen nearby who are required, on a daily basis, to deal with food.

When contacted, Chief Environmental Health Officer Elton Morton stated that he is fully aware of the situation and wished to announce to the public that it is not normal.

“Water normally flows down Westbourne Ghaut and that’s one of the largest outlets. 

What happens is that there is strong current which pushes up the sand and blocks off the water from freely flowing to the sea, and it forms a pool.

“It is because we are facing this because we are still in the hurricane season and so, even if the sand below is removed, within a matter of hours, it will be placed right back there.
 
This blockage presents a very difficult problem for us to deal with; we sometimes have to get a backhoe since the employee is not able to manually fix it on her own”

Morton explained that although the pool of water is found on the beach, the Parks and Beaches Unit is only responsible for cleaning the beach and not for fixing the blockage of the outflow.  ~~Adz:Left~~

He declared that a backhoe will be sent on the site to dig a trench to remove the blockage and to rectify the problem before the end of this week.