Short-term measures needed for Pond Island landfill
Dear Editor,
This week the Nature Foundation announced that due to the landfill on Pond Island which has been burning for over a month, the non-governmental organization (NGO) has called on nearby communities to start wearing facemasks in order to protect themselves from the fumes. The NGO on Thursday distributed masks to students and staff of a school on the Pondfill which is located near the landfill.
The Nature Foundation also stated that the month-long fire is now resulting in significant negative health effects affecting the community and visitors alike. “As we still wait for action to occur regarding the management of our solid waste issues, we encourage that especially expectant mothers and those with a weakened immune system wear facemask to reduce the risk caused by the landfill,” the Nature Foundation said this week.
As long as the landfill has no system for the collection of methane gas, and no proper closure or packing of waste, there will be fires.
According to some Waste Management specialists, the average landfill site has a 60 per cent statistical risk of fire each year. The cost of preventing a landfill fire is far less than extinguishing it.
The longer a fire burns the more difficult it is to put out and will burn for a long time. With the Pond Island landfill fire already burning for over a month, are we looking at this being the new norm for 2018?
Waste Management specialists say that landfill fires cannot be left to burn (smoulder) due to the dangerous emissions, including dioxins that are given off by slowly combusting PVC, among other substances.
There are two types of landfill fires, surface, or shallow fires and deep-seated fires. Surrounding communities of Pond Island have observed the billowing black/grey smoke from the surface fires on the landfill. This was very common in 2017 and 2016.
Surface fires can be ignited by lightning, hot coals entering the landfill in the waste stream among many others. To deal with such a fire, the waste management company would place a layer of material such as top soil on the fire and compact it with a landfill compactor. Another technique is to douse it with a lot of water.
Treating underground landfill fires involves infiltrating an inert gas such as CO2 or nitrogen into the area where the fire is emanating from.
Short-term measures are needed now to protect public health. It has been stated in the media that the new Waste to Energy Facility will take 18 months before it is operational. In the meantime, something should be done until the facility is fully functional.
The United Nations (UN) Environment and World Health Organization (WHO) have agreed a new, wide-ranging collaboration to accelerate action to curb environmental health risks that cause an estimated 12.6 million deaths a year.
An agreement has been signed by the two aforementioned entities to step up joint actions to combat air pollution, climate change and antimicrobial resistance, as well as improve coordination on waste and chemicals management, water quality, and food and nutrition issues. The collaboration also includes joint management of the BreatheLife advocacy campaign to reduce air pollution for multiple climate, environment and health benefits.
This represents the most significant formal agreement on joint action across the spectrum of environment and health issues in over 15 years, according to the two international organizations.
“There is an urgent need for our two agencies to work more closely together to address the critical threats to environmental sustainability and climate – which are the foundations for life on this planet. This new agreement recognizes that sober reality,” said UN Environment’s Solheim.
“Our health is directly related to the health of the environment we live in. Together, air, water and chemical hazards kill more than 12.6 million people a year. This must not continue,” said WHO’s Tedros.
It’s overdue, and it’s time for some form of action on the Pond Island landfill.
Roddy Heyliger
Dear Editor,
First of all I wanted to state that we love St. Maarten and have gone from a 2-week stay 7 years ago to staying for almost 5 months every year now. This past weekend someone stole a laptop and an iPhone 7Plus from us and we wanted to report the theft to the police in the event that our property showed up someplace. This is what transpired and I felt obligated to let people know what goes on:
Sometime Saturday, January 6, afternoon until Sunday morning our laptop and phone were stolen out of our house on Pelican Key. (We are quite certain that it was gone before 2:00am Sunday morning because of phone usage at that time). We also learned that around 2:00am on Sunday morning a skinny black male in a hoody tried to break into one of the other houses right next to us – and when he was confronted he just left the property and gave the residents the finger. A few people have told us they know who he is – but we don’t personally know who.
Sunday 10:12am we noticed the missing items and called the police (operator in Philipsburg) and she said to come down Monday morning to report the incident.
Monday, 1/8/18: We drove down to the Philipsburg Police Dept. around noon on Monday. Called on the phone in the lobby area for a detective but got no answer. We then went to the window and were given a number to dial on the phone. When we finally got through on the phone we were told to go back to the window. When we told the officer at the window that we were redirected back to him – he laughed and walked away.
Then another officer (all in blue with a handgun and utility belt) returned and asked us why we were there. We told him that our phone and laptop were stolen from inside the house. He asked if we knew who took it and we said no. We said we wanted to file a report and he asked what the reason was for the report ... and we weren’t quite sure what he meant ... then he asked if we needed to report it for insurance. (To be honest I hadn’t thought about that at the moment). I said no we weren’t reporting it for insurance. Then he said that there was no reason to file a report. We were clearly taken back by that comment as we had brought with us all our paperwork, configuration of the laptop, serial numbers, phone numbers called by the thief, etc., but he didn’t want any of it. So we just said “thank you” and left.
Tuesday, 1/9/18: We decided to investigate ourselves. I got the call logs of mobile data usage that the thief had used with our phone. There were 5 calls of some sort from 1:53am to 9:00am on Sunday the 7th. I contacted AT&T and they said that the calls were placed through UTS Federal in Curaçao (59997771155). When we contacted UTS they said the calls would have to be tracked through UTS in St. Maarten. We contacted St. Maarten UTS, told them about the calls, and they said that for “privacy” purposes they could only provide that information to the Prosecutor’s Office in Philipsburg. Somewhat astounded by this I asked if I could come down and verify the phone was mine – they said only the Prosecutor’s Office could do that. So, I asked where that office was and decided I would go down there.
While driving down toward the Prosecutor’s Office a friend called and suggested I stop and see one of the detectives in Philipsburg that she knew and that this Detective would help. So, I first went to the police station, again, and contacted the Detective’s office. Once there I contacted the Detective’s office and someone came down and I was told to wait and someone would be down to see me shortly. After waiting almost an hour I tried to call the Detective but she was tied up and I couldn’t get through. So, I decided to go to the Prosecutor’s Office and before I went I informed the Detective’s associate that I was going there.
When I arrived at the Prosecutor’s Office I explained my situation to the person at the window. She got up and went back into the office and then came back and said that I had to have a police report filed before they could help me get the phone numbers that were called on my phone on the 7th. I clearly explained again that I had been to the police station to file a report two times, both of which were unsuccessful. She then informed me that there was nothing they could do – and they could not help me get the call logs from the calls that were made on my stolen phone.
I am not surprised that thefts occur on St. Maarten as they do anyplace. However, the real crime to me is the failure of the Police Department and the Prosecutor’s Office to take any responsibility for doing their assigned jobs. If crime statistics are not reported, and police are indifferent towards crime, and the Prosecutor’s Office has no interest in catching criminals or monitoring a police department that doesn’t even attempt to solve crimes – this is a very sad state of affairs for St. Maarten.
Mark Reynolds
Dear Editor,
I give GEBE my full praise for the hard work you guys have done post-Hurricane Irma. Her devastation is still being felt months later. But I remember you guys making a promise that after Christmas St. Maarten should be at 100 per cent with electricity to residents and citizens alike. You guys did work in Cay Bay, Aaron Jacobs Dr, laid the cables and just left!
Up till this day you guys have not looked back at those people. I call foul and heartless. Is it because the majority are outsiders? Or that part of Sint Maarten just isn't as important as let's all just say Simpson Bay and other pristine areas? You guys did the hard work already, just connect the people. Again I am so proud and pleased of the work you guys have put in. But let's be fair and considerate to everybody.
Again, I can't stress enough you guys have done an amazing job. But, let's shed some light on the Cay Bay area. We are all one no matter our nationality and origin. We all bleed red, suffer, laugh, cry the same. And we all need some electricity as well. So may God grant you guys the strength to go out and get these people up and running again. And to return to some sense of normalcy.
Marc André C.W. Frederick
Dear Editor,
The listeners are listening:
As was already discussed and explained with clarity the date for this scheduled election of February 26, 2018, is incorrect!
Do the math: November 2, 2017, Parliament was dissolved. Based on our constitution the new Parliament should take office 3 months thereafter, taking us to February 2, 2018.
Which means election should have been prior to February 2, 2018, but instead the date is February 26, 2018. How? Aren't we therefore going against our constitution?
Immediately after the devastation caused by Hurricane's Irma and Maria, no one believed that the then-PM William Marlin would have the gall to call for election. Moreover, why didn't Governor Holiday have this decision annulled? Let's not forget the several motions passed by Parliament which expressed the desire not to have elections.
Could he, the Governor have been challenged on his decision? Yes!
Is it too late to challenge him? No! By any means necessary!
Yes, postulation took place, but MP Wescot submitted her report to the Governor on December 30, 2017, way before the deadline of January 12, 2018. The listeners are questioning why the proposed names for Ministers can't yet take office. What's the hold-up in finalising this report?
We knew the Governor would have stalled until after postulation, a ploy not to postpone the election date once again; as he did for William.
To conclude, while it may seem that the dust has settled and everyone is gearing up for elections, it doesn't take away that elections called for February 26, 2018, are incorrect, based on our constitution. So many things still not in place as explained by the Main Voting Bureau, the issues with the Civil Registry, Voting cards, etc.
The fact that we are not ready for an election, that so many MPs or candidates have expressed this, among them Mr. Wycliffe Smith and MP Ardwell Irion.
The fact that so many persons are without proper placement, in shelters or jobless. The listeners are saying this election is not only unjust but illegal and should be challenged by the fullest extent of the law!
Marinka Gumbs
Dear Editor,
As a concerned citizen, we are all entitled to our own opinion, and should also respect the opinions of others as well.
However, I do believe everyone would agree with this one. To request a Registration Form at the new Government Building you have to make an appointment, which, in my mind is totally ridiculous.
At the old building, when you came to request a Registration Form, you got it the same day, and you went along and did your business.
At the new building, they give you a number (542-0652) to call for an appointment. When you dial the number it rings out.
They gave me that number yesterday to call for an appointment, and I tried to call from then up until today and finally got true, and now that I got true, I was given an appointment for February 5th, 2018 and today is January 9th. 2018. I believe a child would have set up the system a lot better than how they have it organized now.
The minister in charge of that portfolio, please have the head of that department organize the system in a much better way. We are living in modern times, and so we have to act like professionals.
The minister in charge, please try and handle that as quick as you can. This is opinion for requesting a Registration Form.
Lemuel Fleming
