The South Coast sewerage problem is “not a simple matter”, says Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, and Government “is not treating it lightly”.
Senior vice-president of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Edward Clarke, yesterday raised the thorny question about the sewage crisis streets during the chamber’s luncheon meeting at Hilton Barbados.
In response, Stuart said the matter was engaging his attention, adding Government had sought expert assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in November. He added IDB representatives came to Barbados last month and completed an assessment of the problems at the plant.
He said Government was not prepared to be wildly throwing money “after the sewage plant”. Therefore, it had reached out to the IDB which had asked to see a report prepared by the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) and Trinidad experts.
Stuart said the IDB returned that report yesterday and pledged to give Barbados its assistance in finding solutions in the “short, medium and long term”.
However, he reminded BCCI members that residents of the South Coast had also experienced problems when the plant was built.
He maintained the current problem “cannot be allowed to continue as a problem that is a source of irritation to people from day to day.
“When you tackle it, you have to tackle it in such a way that a final solution is secured,” Stuart said, adding that in the meantime, “mitigation measures” were being put in place for the short term by the BWA, Ministry of Health and other related agencies. (GC)
