Minister Says Dredging in San Pedrito was Sanctioned by D.O.E.

Orlando Habet

Concerns being raised by residents of San Pedrito have been answered by the Minister of Sustainable Development with respect of dredging activities taking place in that area of San Pedro Town.  According to Minister Habet, the San Pedro Town Council has been given the green light to proceed with dredging.  That municipal body has since contracted a private company to carry out the works.  But what about the smoke that continues to emanate from the solid waste transfer station in Belmopan and what is government doing about it?  Here’s his response.

Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development

“I know that there were some questions regarding one which the town council had applied for and if that’s the same one, I think the town council had sought environmental clearance from the Department of the Environment.  So I think they are working, some private company is doing the work but it was being instituted and being done through the town council.”

Reporter

“What about the waste transfer station in Belmopan, I believe it’s been smoking for some days, is it not an environmental hazard?”

Orlando Habet

“It is.  As you know, the solid waste management was not under our ministry until the beginning of January.  Minister Hyde who had the solid waste management portfolio was doing the best he could with the circumstances, of course financing and funding is a major problem. They have been looking and what we inherited from him was startup work to look at the sustainability of making these transfer stations work and getting the garbage to the transfer station and from the transfer station to the national land fill.  What we are trying to do now is to see how we can put up a wall or maybe plant some trees to not have it in plain visibility and to try to see if we can stop the burning as much as possible.  What happens is that sometimes it’s not people who light  the fire but because of the humidity and the type of garbage then there is spontaneous combustion and it lights up.  If I am not mistaken, pretty soon, within a month or so, we will be getting the funding after the budget is passed so that the two transfer stations will be operationalized, the Belmopan and the Dangriga transfer station.”