Minister of the Environment Dr Denis Lowe has defended the contribution of B’s Recycling to Barbados while stressing that his ministry was not responsible for “managing” the fire at the plant’s Bagatelle, St Thomas site in March.
Breaking his silence on the matter after nearly two months, Lowe told the House of Assembly yesterday he took no pride in any Barbadian household or community struggling with environmental challenges.
However, his ministry had decided who should “go forward” and had tried to understand by comprehensive assessment what was happening in Bagatelle and what was likely to impact the residents then, he said.
“I hear people talking about the Minister of the Environment sitting quietly and saying nothing, and there are people who were there who have said more,” he told parliamentarians.
“The remit for managing that fire at B’s was not that of the Ministry of the Environment – it was the Ministry of Home Affairs,” he said, complimenting that minister and his team for keeping the public informed.
Lowe also said the Environmental Protection Department, which fell under his portfolio, had been the first agency on the Bagatelle site and had reported to him within 48 hours. (RJ)
