Licensing regime for river cleaning to be introduced
LICENCES are to be issued by the Ministry of Land and the Environment for the periodic desilting of the island’s rivers, under the supervision of the National Works Agency (NWA).
“The National Works Agency and the Mines and Geology Department will, at intervals, inspect the rivers and, where there is build up of sand, licences will be issued to operators in the area, under the supervision of the NWA, so that the silt can be cleared and this has to be an ongoing thing,” said permanent secretary Donovan Stanberry.
Stanberry told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Tuesday that a comprehensive submission relating to the new regime of a periodic desilting, which is to be sent to the Cabinet for approval, will contain specific proposals in respect of the Rio Minho river in Clarendon.
He made the revelation after Government backbencher Charles Learmond pointed out that the silting of the Rio Minho had contributed to the Alley Bridge being washed away last year.
He said that the situation was also threatening investments in the south Clarendon area.
“All the arrangements I have spoken to were triggered specifically because of the Rio Minho situation,” Stanberry admitted.
“Myself, the commissioner of mines and officers traversed the entire Rio Minho from the bridge at May Pen down to the Alley Bridge. We have identified the instances where there is siltation and it’s that which precipitated a meeting on December 27 when we came up with some new directives.”
Opposition MP Delroy Chuck also suggested that if desilting work was not done in the Tavern area, prior to the rainy season, “the whole of August Town and Hermitage and Kyntire will be washed away and the whole of Grant’s Pen, Acadia Circle, Jack’s Hill and Barbican area will be flooded.”
PAC chairman, Audley Shaw, noted that rain often falls heavily in May and raised concern about a time-frame for the submission to Cabinet.
Said Stanberry in response: “I think that your fears are real, but there is really no cause for them.”
He said that the matters would be dealt with as soon as Cabinet approves the submission.
