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by pltm
(PLTM) - Poor waste disposal practices play a major role in flooding, and Director of the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), Ms. Sharleen DaBreo is urging that in coming to the British Virgin Islands (BVI), foreigners do not bring poor waste disposal cultures with them.
Yesterday, December 11, the DDM hosted a press conference on the recently ompleted Hydrology and Flood Risk Analysis, during which the concerns about the adverse impact of littering was raised.
The DDM’s Director stated that, “The community has to get to the stage of understanding that we are living in a very fragile environment and the more you impact the environment negatively, it’s going to have a negative impact on you as an individual and a property owner.”
She explained that the BVI has residents who originate from many different places, “and people come with some practices from different places.”
Ms. DaBreo therefore stressed that, “We have to do a better job at getting people to change their attitudes, their perceptions, to bring good parts of your culture to the BVI.”
She went on to say that in some countries, it is a normalized practice to dump garbage on banks and in canals, but “we have to get people to understand that littering in the ghuts is extremely detrimental to the development of this country.”
“Coming to the BVI, there is not that environment there, so disposing of things, you are seen,” she pointed out.
Ms. DaBreo highlighted that there is easy access to proper waste disposal in the Territory and the residents’ approach has to change.
Project Manager of the study, Dr. Nick Jarritt, who is attached to Wood PLC—the company that conducted the study—said that the community has to engage in proper management of ghuts and other drainage channels as a measure to reduce flooding.
“The practical actions is not just about the engineering measures, it’s about the conditions of the ghuts, it’s about the blockages in the ghuts and keeping those clear and free from litter and debris,” he said.
“It’s not just about public works, it’s not just about Government, it’s about community as well. We’ve all got to work and all got a job to do in working to keep our ghuts clear from litter, from waste and rubbish,” the Project Manager said in addressing the press conference.
Reflecting on the study, he shared that in conducting the analysis, they were made aware with some of the issues in relation to clogged ghuts such as “fridges under bridges…car seats wrapped around the blockages in the ghuts.”
“Keeping those out will make a huge difference,” he iterated.
According to Dr. Jarritt, “There is as much benefit to be gained from that work as there is to be gained from all the infrastructure work as well. The most cost effective thing we can do and biggest action we can do as a community is to keep those ghuts and drains clear from debris and litter.”
