It was indeed amazing to read recently that former Minister of Local Government, Dr Rambachan, propose to "fiercely reject any attempts to expand the Forres Park facility (landfill) and will support the idea of a modern facility to dispose of garbage and at the same time produce by-products".
During my tenure as Chairman of the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation, this very matter was raised many times by me, and in particular to Mr. Rambachan, who refused and/or neglected to do anything about it.
I toured the Forres Park facility and saw first-hand the severe discomfort and unhealthy environment hundreds of villagers endured on a daily basis.
It is equally terrible, in the Port of Spain area, moreso when the Beetham dump is on fire. I spoke to the Principal, of the SpringVale Hindu School, Mr Indar Bhagwandeen on many occasions, particularly when the dump was on fire, causing severe disruption to classes.
In 2012 I visited India in my personal capacity a few months after the multi-million dollar visit by former Prime Minister and her entourage. The then Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner to India, out of sheer frustration, introduced me to an Indian-based company that specialized in the construction of a state-of-the art modern garbage treatment and disposal plant.
The company at it's own expense flew me to another State and had me undertake a detailed tour of the facility. As, Mr Rambachan desires, the facility treated, disposed garbage and also produced two by-products namely compost (fertilizer) and building bricks. The Plant generated it's own energy. The company was prepared to finance the entire project or enter into reasonable arrangements with the Government.
The company had already visited the Beetham dump in early 2011 and held meetings with SWMCOL. The company confirmed the Beetham was perfect for such a modern plant. The company insist, that hundreds of acres would be reclaimed and which can be utilized for other commercial purposes as was done in India and other parts of the world.
On my return, I held several meetings and/or discussions with Mr Rambachan. Everytime was a different excuse. The last time he informed me that the project was being evaluated by E-teck. I got fed-up and stopped inquiring.
In my final address to the 2010-2013 CTTRC Council, I noted, among other things, that I trust that a modern and revolutionary garbage disposing facility be implemented throughout Trinidad, including Forres Park.
In mobilising his constituents, Mr Rambachan, must tell them and the people of Trinidad and Tobago, what his Government, and he in particular did, between 2010-2015 to embrace, as he says, "the many new technologies to safety, hygienically and economically dispose of garbage, thereby protecting the health and well-being of the people."
Perhaps, he found it more economical and financially feasible then, to spend 12 million to extinguish a single fire at Beetham and many more millions to extinguish fires between 2010-2015 at the various dumps.
DAVE PERSAD