Lindeners cry for relief from bauxite dust
Written by Kwesi Isles Wednesday, 24 August 2011 17:36
Lindeners protested in 2009 (Photo by PICTURETHIS PRODUCTIONS)
A group of Lindeners are calling for relief from a dust situation caused by the Bosai bauxite plant in the once-thriving mining town. Several residents, including Regional Councillor Judith Rogers, were present at the AFC’s weekly news conference on Wednesday in Georgetown. “The matter was raised at the regional level but it seems like the regional chairman is putting a deaf ear to this matter and not looking at the interest of the people of Linden,” Rogers stated. The councillor called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to intervene “urgently.”
Several protests have been mounted over the years about the dust pollution in Linden. Another resident, Mark Griffith stated that the dust has resulted in many Lindeners suffering from respiratory ailments. “Everyday you can go to the hospital and see the elderly and the children packing at the hospital with cough, throat problems and these kinds of things and all they keep doing is promising; I think we’re totally de up with these promises,” he stated. According to Griffith, whenever the matter is raised the company makes a note of it until the issue comes up again. “We’re asking that somebody do something for because it’s affecting us terribly.” Another Lindener said the dust has led to him having to wear spectacles.
The AFC in a statement on the issue said the residents of Silvertown, Christianburg and McKenzie have been enduring the dust pollution for more than 40 years, first from the Linmine Bauxite Plant and then its successor the Bosai Bauxite Plant. “Residents have said that they were promised by Omai, the previous operator of this plant that dust collecting technology would be installed. This never materialized. With the taking over of the plant by the Chinese company Bosai, the promise was again touted. To date, no dust collecting technology has been installed,” the statement read. It added that Bosai had mentioned a deadline of September 13 for the installation of the apparatus but information reaching the party suggests that this deadline would not be met.
The AFC pointed out that the New Silver City Secondary School is located close to the dust emitting bauxite plant an the staff have complained that the dust is sometimes so heavy they have to keep the windows closed. “This creates its own ventilation problems. It is reported that a number of air conditioning units were promised and donated but were never installed,” the party said. It added that a number of pupils have had to be taken to the hospital because of the dust and stated that it is an issue that should have engaged the attention of the Ministry of Education. “The AFC, in addition to calling on Bosai to expedite the installation of the dust collecting technology, calls also on the EPA and the Ministry of Health to give serious attention to this issue. Residents have said that EPA has been apprised of this issue.”
The party acknowledged that there had been a meeting at the level of the RDC involving both Bosai and the EPA, however, it said residents have not received any relief in spite of the involvement of the EPA. According to the party, “environmental consciousness and responsibility” must be more stringently factored into the privatization agreements inked with large foreign investors in particular.
Source
Written by Kwesi Isles Wednesday, 24 August 2011 17:36
Lindeners protested in 2009 (Photo by PICTURETHIS PRODUCTIONS)
A group of Lindeners are calling for relief from a dust situation caused by the Bosai bauxite plant in the once-thriving mining town. Several residents, including Regional Councillor Judith Rogers, were present at the AFC’s weekly news conference on Wednesday in Georgetown. “The matter was raised at the regional level but it seems like the regional chairman is putting a deaf ear to this matter and not looking at the interest of the people of Linden,” Rogers stated. The councillor called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to intervene “urgently.”
Several protests have been mounted over the years about the dust pollution in Linden. Another resident, Mark Griffith stated that the dust has resulted in many Lindeners suffering from respiratory ailments. “Everyday you can go to the hospital and see the elderly and the children packing at the hospital with cough, throat problems and these kinds of things and all they keep doing is promising; I think we’re totally de up with these promises,” he stated. According to Griffith, whenever the matter is raised the company makes a note of it until the issue comes up again. “We’re asking that somebody do something for because it’s affecting us terribly.” Another Lindener said the dust has led to him having to wear spectacles.
The AFC in a statement on the issue said the residents of Silvertown, Christianburg and McKenzie have been enduring the dust pollution for more than 40 years, first from the Linmine Bauxite Plant and then its successor the Bosai Bauxite Plant. “Residents have said that they were promised by Omai, the previous operator of this plant that dust collecting technology would be installed. This never materialized. With the taking over of the plant by the Chinese company Bosai, the promise was again touted. To date, no dust collecting technology has been installed,” the statement read. It added that Bosai had mentioned a deadline of September 13 for the installation of the apparatus but information reaching the party suggests that this deadline would not be met.
The AFC pointed out that the New Silver City Secondary School is located close to the dust emitting bauxite plant an the staff have complained that the dust is sometimes so heavy they have to keep the windows closed. “This creates its own ventilation problems. It is reported that a number of air conditioning units were promised and donated but were never installed,” the party said. It added that a number of pupils have had to be taken to the hospital because of the dust and stated that it is an issue that should have engaged the attention of the Ministry of Education. “The AFC, in addition to calling on Bosai to expedite the installation of the dust collecting technology, calls also on the EPA and the Ministry of Health to give serious attention to this issue. Residents have said that EPA has been apprised of this issue.”
The party acknowledged that there had been a meeting at the level of the RDC involving both Bosai and the EPA, however, it said residents have not received any relief in spite of the involvement of the EPA. According to the party, “environmental consciousness and responsibility” must be more stringently factored into the privatization agreements inked with large foreign investors in particular.
Source
For more than 40 years, the residents of Silvertown, Christianburg and Mckenzie in the mining town of Linden have been afflicted by an enduring dust pollution emanating from what is now the Bosai Bauxite Plant and what used to be the old Linmine Bauxite Plant located in the heart of Linden.
The communities in close vicinity to this plant have suffered in a number of ways. First and most important, a number of residents have been diagnosed with respiratory illnesses and even cancer. Persons who are asthmatic and suffer from sinuses have experienced much difficulty. Secondly, and similar to the Cane Grove dust situation, the maintenance of clean homes has been rendered quite difficult. The AFC contends that when one contemplates the duration of this problem and the very clear cut solution that exists; the unacceptability of this situation comes to the fore.
