ONLINE READERS at home and abroad have long been expressing their concerns and offering solutions on how to tackle the escalating problem of Sargassum seaweed on our beaches.
The Ministry of the Environment recently announced a multi-pronged approach to dealing with the issue, but readers were for the most part appalled about the use of heavy-duty equipment. While a few said the equipment worked near to the shoreline and posed no threat, others said it had no place on the beach as it could cause erosion and damage turtle nesting sites.
Here are their views:
K Alleyne: Why are they using these big heavy-duty machines to pick up the seaweed? Is there some other way? Look at how much top-level sand they are taking from the beach.
Mac10: It’s like the Government has just suddenly woken up and realised there’s a seaweed problem. Or were they just waiting for the Press to leave the island after the CARICOM conference?
Ramar Haynes: I hope an environmental impact assessment has also been done while undertaking this project and the amount of turtle eggs being crushed are being taken into account.
Angela Thompson Branch: NCC, MTW, whoever is working on Miami Beach I say thank you. I have visitors who come every year wondering if to book their flight. I am telling them go ahead by all means.
Peter Joyce Husband: Poor turtles, so sad. Environmental disaster!
Helen J Knox: Why aren’t they gathering it with a turner/rake, in the same way as when farmers roll their hay or straw for a bailer to then collect and make in to bales that can then be lifted away, leaving the sand in position? Seems a bit heavy-handed this way.
René Holder: I’m looking at this picture and thinking how could the Ministry of Environment even green light this approach. It’s quick and easy but the most damaging to the natural beach ecology and environment.
Gibson Jethro: The use of this type of heavy-duty equipment on our beaches is going to result in massive beach erosion. This is not the best equipment for this process.
Bernadette Ross Browne: From what I saw on Rockley, the equipment enters from the far end of the beach and works the shoreline. The turtle nests are higher up on the beach. I saw a few new nests last week; in other words, the heavy equipment works on the hard sand.
Pam Fazio: Not being handled in the right way. Destroying the nesting of turtles. Again no one thought this through.
Mike Baje: All that’s needed is a ‘Bobcat’ adapted to carry a boob-rake at the rear to clean the beaches. Then it can be hauled away without damage to the breakwater/shoreline.