The establishment of a fish processing plant at Victoria, East Coast Demerara will have no negative impact on residents as Chairman of the Grove/Haslington Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) , Maureen Philadelphia assured that the plant with be operated in keeping with the highest standards.
A group of residents, Stabroek News learnt have registered their objections in relation to a fish processing plant being housed in the village and the negative impact it can have on the residential community.
Philadelphia yesterday explained to Stabroek News that given the direction of the wind in the community and proper hygienic practices no resident should be affected.
The establishment of the fishing plant in the community is the brainchild of the late Allison Butters-Grant of Global Seafoods Distributors Inc.
However, Attorney at Law Rexford Jackson in a letter penned to this newspaper on Friday last said “That the government would seek to install a fish plant in a residential area boggles the mind…” and called for government to reconsider its initiative.
He made the argument that “the environmental repercussions of the project, the question of zoning and the rules and regulations governing land use must have been either brushed aside or deliberately ignored when this project was contemplated.”
Jackson also argued that as far as he is aware neither the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), which is the funding agency for the project being done in partnership with the Community Development Council (CDC), the Grove/Haslington Neighbourhood Democratic Council nor the government has had any consultation with the residents of the community about this project. The residents have not seen a blue print of the fish plant containing the design of the building and more importantly the layout for proper drainage and irrigation if or when the operation commences, he said.
Philadelphia while responding to these claims told Stabroek News that at the conceptualization of the proposed fish processing plant, she was not residing in Guyana and she only took up chairmanship of the NDC after the last Local Government Elections when she was elected onto the council.
She explained that she could not speak to consultations that were done prior but noted that following objections from a group of residents, the overseer of the council met with Jackson.
“From what I am told, there was an oral or written correspondence by the overseer to Mr Jackson. I understand that he raised several concerns of residents and he was walked through the plan and aim of the project by the overseer,” she explained.
According to her, there has been no other correspondence to the council in relation to the location of the processing plant and the concerns raised were never brought to the council for a debate.
Philadelphia, also explained that the constituency representative never indicated the objections of the group of residents.
She stated too that prior to the release of funding, representatives from the Inter-American Development Bank, the Caribbean Export Development Agency and the BNTF all visited the site location and had a first-hand look at the plan.
Parallel
“…The location earmarked for the construction of the fish plant parallel to the seawall where quite a sizeable number of persons live down wind is by all means undesirable,” Jackson stressed.
On this note, the NDC Chairman said the winds blow in the direction opposite to the residential homes.
“The winds blow towards the sea and the houses face north east. We don’t foresee any resident being affected by this. This plant will be operated in keeping with the highest standard. We would have visited the processing plant in West Ruimveldt and you wouldn’t know that they are processing fish there if you didn’t see the fish. That plant is located next to houses and there has been no complaints,” Philadelphia noted.
Jackson further stated that the concerned group by way of petition about a month ago submitted their concerns to the Community Development Council (CDC), NDC, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advocating against the intended manner in which the land has been earmarked to be used.
As a consequence of that petition the letter writer said he had seen correspondence by the Environmental Protection Agency addressed to the CDC in which it has contended that based on its inspection and the location of the land it was inappropriate for the operation of a fish plant. Philadelphia noted that as far as she is aware they have not received any such correspondence.
Philadelphia, who is also Vice-Chair of the CDC explained that subsequent to the passing of Butters-Grant, her husband had written to the CDC requesting that they take full ownership of the project, to which they agreed.
Executive Director at the EPA, Vincent Adams when contacted yesterday said that he would have to make checks before pronouncing on the issue.
“The proposal to erect a fish plant in a residential area is a stark reminder of the need for proper land management, use and administration in our communities. People who live in this locality do not deserve to live either adjacent or in close proximity to a fish plant that could potentially undermine their health, comfort and well-being,” Jackson pointed out.
He argued that the intended usage of this portion of land by the Government and the designated stakeholders goes against the “grain of the order and discipline that our ancestors demonstrated 175 years ago when they purchased this historic village and implemented regulations for its management and governance. The site is inappropriate for a fish plant”.
While arguing that the site for the plant is inappropriate, Jackson lamented that the proposed area was clearly demarcated and earmarked on the Surveyor’s Plan for “water sports”. It is unimaginable that the Council has deviated from its initial contemplations in this regard, he said.
Meanwhile, a few residents who spoke with Stabroek News yesterday also dismissed Jackson’s concerns about the location being inappropriate as they, too, noted that the wind blows in the direction opposite to the residential community.
“We have proper drainage and wind blows against where people live. The project can happen and we welcome it because nuff people in this community needs jobs,” Lynette Moore, a resident who is well aware of the project said. She noted that the project should have come on stream already but it has been delayed due to the death of Butters-Grant.
Another resident pointed out that the authorities cannot listen to one man’s objection – referring to Jackson – and let the rest of the community suffer.
“We have a lot of people from this community leaving to go till to the East Bank to work spending almost a $1000 a day. So if we have a plant here it will help nuff people. We have proper drainage in this community also and two pumps, so it shouldn’t be a problem,” resident, Brook Henry noted.
A July 5th advertisement appearing in the Sunday Stabroek invited bids for the construction of the fish processing plant.
The project comes under the Caribbean Development Bank-funded BNTF’s Ninth Programme.
According to the advertisement, bidding documents for the project can be purchased from the BNTF implementing agency office at the Ministry of Finance on Main and Urquhart Sts. Bids must be submitted no later than 10 am on Wednesday July 29. There will be a virtual opening that same day of the tenders via the Zoom platform.
