CURACAO HAS MORE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS?
By: JJosephaNews
Reading Time: 3:30 mins.
Twitter: @JJosephaNews
Willemstad, Curacao. During an interview, Curacao's Minister of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning: Mr. Charles Cooper (MFK political party) made a worrying statement about national waters and the danger to public health. According to the minister, the government has no short-term solution to prevent dirty substances from being dumped into the ocean.
MINISTER CHARLES COOPER'S DECLARATIONS
Cooper declared; “Let me give you some other problems to put you in my place for a moment. Like you put yourself in Mr. Bart's (a local concern citizen/fisherman) shoes before, today. Juni (the reporter), do you know that, all of Macola Bay, all the houses in Macola Bay, every entity (companies), of the entire Marine Base, DOW (the Department of Public Works land/property), Selikor (Curacao's largest provider waste collection, recycling and disposal services), the Pier, each entity down there: do you know when the persons go to the bathroom where those (toilet waste) go/are dump? In our harbor (haf)! In our harbor! That is a big concern that I have as a leader right now.
Another concern I have is that; whenever you do your bathroom needs in Punda, which means, any entity you enter in Punda, to do your needs, you know where the waste it goes? It goes to our South Coast (zuidkust). It goes to our south coast!
There is a pipe, near the old Leeszaal (old reading room/building). There, in between the buildings, there is an opening, there is a pipe that passes by. You can go there and see the pipe, because it passes by, when you get out of there, the pipe goes into the ocean, goes 200 to 300 meters into the ocean, to the south and dumps all the waste.
So everyday, there are trucks with waste, so you can understand, but its the pipe. Trucks goes there and carry all the waste/dirty things from the entire Punda area and dump it in our South Coast. Those are big concerns we have.
We have a water purification (waterzuivering) place at Klein Hofje (little courtyard), which is at its end, which means, it is no longer in good condition, to deal with, let's say, water purification, that is, cleaning the water.
Now, what happens, is that, naturally, non of us want to dump in the harbor, at the south coast, nor in the north side nor at Playa Kanoa nor in the woods. Ok. We do not want to do that. We are against that. I want Mr. Bart (the concern citizen) and the entire country to understand in which big problem the governments have had (the present and past governments). Because, when you go through the budged, where you need 70 million, that's what we calculated, we have all those projects calculated already. We need 70 millions to remedy Punda, to remedy Baya Macola, Selikor and all those (places) down there. For our harbor as well. So that these things are not dump there anymore. Also on the north side and Playa Kanoa. Which means, we will not only attain with Mr. Bart's concerns by the north side.
You need to understand, that we will take it in an integral form. We approached the European Union, so that they can help us, and they will help us, but, it will take 3 to 4 years. Where they will put in 17 million euros available so that we can attain with the Klein Hofje to be renovated, the renewal of the water purification, to renew the one at Seru Loraweg and to also put a portion of (pipe), where instead of the Punda area dumping waste in our South Coast, we can attach it to a pump housing (pomphuis) near Juliana Pharmacy (Botica Juliana) in a pump housing (pomphuis) and that will pomp it send it (the dirty things) to Seru Loraweg. Those are the projects that we have waiting. When you do that, then the trucks no longer go to Punda, or to the north side, or anywhere else, which means they will go to Klein Hofje or Klein Kwartier.
But what happens, is there, in addition, you have to be very careful, because, when the trucks arrive at the water treatment plant, remember, the water treatment plant works with bacteria, the bacteria eat the dirt/waste, so that the water comes out clean. If you arrive with oil, many things that kill bacteria immediately, then they (the authorities) will measure that and tell you, no, we can't dump it here, because if you dump it there, you will damage the whole water purification process. At that time you will have to do that (throw the waste) in another place. Then, it ends up (the waste dumping) in the woods, in the North Side or Playa Kanoa. That is the problem, and the possible solution.
Which means, I do not have a solution for the short time for the North Side. If you turn and say something drastic, because, at any given moment, the government can decree another thing, but that will make it worst, because, the government can say; listen, you know what, I will decree in Curacao, a no fishing zone. But, when you (the government) decree a no fishing zone, to protect everyone's health and all those things, immediately, everyone (the public) will jump on your (the government) back naturally. They (the people) will say; no, you can not do that, this and that, we need to fish there. You understand? They would say, they need to put fish on the table (for food consumption).”
Cooper went further: “That is why I am telling you, and the same thing goes for the truck drivers, they will tell you (the government); I also need to put a bread on my table for my family. Do you understand? You are in a, if you do A, the snake will bite you, if you do B, a centipede will bite you. Whatever you do, you will trample the person's feet. That is why the government must look at the whole thing, then, to stumble on as few feet as possible.”
TRANSLATION: [Felicity: 10% - Fidelity: 90% ]
OVERALL TRANSLATION: FELICITY:10% / FIDELITY:90%
PAPIAMENTU/DUTCH : ENGLISH
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