The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently focussing its attention on several issues in Region Two, one of which concerns the Pomeroon River.
At a public forum held in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) on Tuesday, Head of Industry and Manufacturing, Odessa Duncan, disclosed that the EPA is currently addressing six issues in the region, amongst which was the dumping of coconut husks in the Pomeroon River. She was at the time conducting a Power Point presentation educating regional officials and councillors about the work of the EPA in the region.
Duncan was accompanied by Deputy Executive Director, Sharifah Razack; Head of Complaints and Emergency Response, Surjpaul Singh; Acting Head of Agriculture, Junior Toney; Legal Officer, Shareefah Parks; and Senior Environmental Officer Communications, Jomo Tobin.
Toney in his presentation noted that the EPA has received numerous complaints of coconut-husk dumping in the Pomeroon River. He said that the practice is hazardous and has led to accidents and mishaps on the river. As such the agency is currently investigating and several interventions have been carried out.
The intervention includes three meetings which were held in May, 2022, and March and January, 2023. The objective of the meetings was to follow up on the functionality of the Pomeroon Exporters Association as well as to identify and establish a waste disposal site within the Pomeroon area. The team also inquired about the coconut waste management project.
Toney said that the EPA was able to assist in the registering of the Pomeroon Exporters Producers Association and a suitable site for the disposal was earmarked. Also, an engagement with the major polluter in the Pomeroon River was carried out, however the coconut waste project was temporarily placed on hold due to the lack of funding.
Toney asserted that it is important for businesses and boat operators to adhere to the regulations and not dump husks in the river. He called on coconut farmers to ensure there is adequate disposal for the husks and assured that the EPA will continue to work with farmers to have the issue resolved.
Region Two Chairperson, Vilma De Silva, who attended the meeting said that she was happy to know that the EPA was addressing the issue. She mentioned that the dumping of coconut husks in the river has been going on for a long time and it needed to be resolved. The chairperson reminded that persons are plying the river daily and the husk was making it risky for them.
