Residents from Henry Fernandesweg complain about garbage

The residents who live near the main sluice of the Henry Fernandesweg are distraught because people from other residential areas dump their garbage in this neighborhood on a daily basis. The residents fear that potential flooding could bring the garbage to the streets and in their yards. “The sluice gates are not opened on time which is why the excess water can’t flow to the ocean,” said the chairman of Stichting Bedevaartsoord Weg naar Zee, Ramon Bajnath. He added that the garbage has attracted many flies. “The garbage keeps piling up and nobody from the government has visited the area to assess the situation. The garbage can only be removed with an excavator. The government must act swiftly. The situation in the area is putting the people’s health at risk. Polluters are also dumping garbage along the road. There is a huge lack of respect for local residents,” said Bajnath who does not want the issue to be taken lightly. He warned that there will be dire consequences when the rainy season starts.

The illegal dumping of garbage in the channels is one of the biggest problems that the Public Works Ministry has to tackle. Chief Spokesman from the Public Works Ministry Raoel Swedo explained that workers must first remove the mud from the channel. The problem at Weg naar Zee is that the ministry is dealing with a mud bank. If the sluice gates are not opened for a week, the channel is silted up. “This problem often occurs during the dry period,” said Swedo. The ministry will reportedly clean up the area soon. It can’t just start with all the work because it must stick to a certain schedule so that all of the residential areas can get a turn.

Swedo made it clear that the Public Works Ministry will take firm action against people who are caught dumping garbage near the main sluice located along the Henry Fernandesweg. The ministry will need the local residents to be its eyes and ears so that perpetrators can be tracked down and given a hefty fine. “The Henry Fernandesweg is not a garbage dump so stop dumping garnage there,” said Swedo.