By Leslie McLean, Freelance WriterCLAREMONT:
WATER QUALITY control officer for St. Ann, Clinton Scarlett, has criticised the St. Ann Parish Council for its failure to chlorinate catchment tanks in the parish.
Mr. Scarlett was speaking at the monthly meeting of the St. Ann Parish Council on December 13.
He noted that for some time, the water quality situation in the parish goes down and "we had hoped for improvement, but unfortunately, we have no good news."
The water quality inspector added that the Parish Council owns a lot of catchment tanks, but had not done what was requested of them. He said despite 12 of the catchment tanks being repaired, no chlorination was done at any of them, and this was of concern to the Health Department.
Mr. Scarlett said that letters were written to the Parish Council and discussions held with the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Superintendent of Roads & Works. "Up till now, not even one chlorination system was set up at any of the catchment tanks, although repairs were done."
"I am so disappointed. The solid waste system was set up at Clay Ground for the chlorination of catchment tanks. The tank there can be used to produce chlorine," he said.
Superintendent of Roads & Works, George Hosang, pointed out that there were 72 catchment tanks, most of which were constructed years ago, without proper chlorination. "We have tried to carry out some method of disinfection. The chlorine tank is not enough, it is not a satisfactory means of chlorination."
Mr. Hosang revealed that the Council was not getting sufficient funds from the Ministry of Local Government to maintain these tanks, and most catchment tanks were maintained in a programme with the National Water Commission (NWC) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
The Superintendent of Roads & Works disclosed that the Council was considering putting in some chlorinating device and had constructed a facility in Clay Ground, which was "probably not utilised in the way it should."
He promised to take note of the report of Mr. Scarlett, and in the next year "try our best to improve chlorination device." But, he said, " the bottom line is really constraints in funding."
In other health matters, Mr. Hosang disclosed that the Dromilly Clinic, which was ordered closed by the Medical Officer of Health, after being infested by bats was repaired by a contractor at a cost of $110,000 and four 50-pound bags of bat dung were removed from the ceiling.
Chief Public Health Inspector, Stanford Reid, also revealed that the health department was out of funds to carry out work in mosquito control. He was trying to get funds from various sources, but was unsuccessful so far, he said.
Mr. Reid said that, "The mosquito index in the parish is at 16.3 per cent, the highest ever, for the index usually goes up to 6.6 per cent".
