La Plaine villagers to take alleged Taberi River pollution matter to court

It is alleged that the river is being polluted by a pig farm
It is alleged that the river is being polluted by a pig farm

Chairman of the La Plaine Disaster Preparedness Management Committee, Jason Fontaine, has said a matter, in which it is alleged that the Taberi River in La Plaine is being polluted by a pig farm in the area, is heading to court.

He told DNO on Tuesday morning that a meeting with residents and farmers was held in La Plaine on Monday to discuss the matter and it was agreed that court action was the last resort to have the issue resolved.

He stated that attorney, Julien Prevost, attended the meeting and has agreed to represent the residents in the matter.

“We had a meeting with a wonderful turnout in the community of La Plaine yesterday afternoon,” he stated. “We had attorney at law Julien Prevost who came to La Plaine and he is our attorney representing us in this case.”

He said the meeting was attended by farmers and landowners adjacent to the pig farm and residents of the community.

“Julien Prevost will take the matter to the court to seek an injunction and a stop and removal of the pig farm and property,” he stated.

He stated that court action is the last resort that residents have since nothing is being done to prevent any future pollution in the area.

He said the matter has to do with what he described as “pig waste” in the Taberi River.

Fontaine said on his part, he will not stop nor rest, until “justice is done for the La Plaine people” and the residents themselves will not back down from the matter.

“This has been going on for years and years and it is enough talk and more action,” he noted.

Prevost confirmed to DNO on Tuesday that he was retained by the residents to represent them in court. He stated that he has visited the area and described its as “a disgrace.”

“I visited the place on several occasions and what I have  seen there is very disgraceful,” he stated. “It is a clear example of putting an individual’s interest over the interests of the community.”

He said the residents will be meeting with him on Friday and the matter will be taken from there.

Allegations are that the pig farm, owned by John Toussaint, is polluting the river, threatening the health of residents and aquatic animals and is having a negative impact on tourism in La Plaine.

However, Toussaint has described the allegations as “untrue, baseless and malicious” which “cannot be substantiated by any scientific, visual or tangible evidence.”

“These false rumors have overstretched the limits of tolerance, hence, I am prepared to take punitive action for peace of conscience and mind,” he said in an article published on DNO on August 29.

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41 Comments

  1. Free
    September 8, 2016

    Take samples of the water and test it…persons should start collecting evidence from the river…sh*& and all…you must bring the proof to court….so your case can be strong.

  2. NKRUMAH KWAME
    September 7, 2016

    Julien Prevost ( Boxer ), now the lawyer for the La Plaine community? Do you plan to mash up John T? You guys were some of the trail blazers for the Cuban Scholarship Programme commenced in 1979 and have always ( well so I thought ) the best of brothers. May I suggest that in the first place you John T accept that there is a problem and be willing to resolve it speedily, and secondly, Boxer, get this out of the realm of the court I do not at all like the direction this is going. “En la guerra como la paz, mantendremos la comunicacion.”
    HOTEP!

    • Tjebe fort
      September 7, 2016

      Sorry but you sound just as bad as the labour cabal, covering up bad things because the guy is your pal, your so called brother? That is the problem with our country.

  3. NabesandI
    September 7, 2016

    I am getting fed up of hearing about or fromthis Fontaine fella is this fella the same Jason Kurt Fontaine from laplaine who was jailed for FRAUD in 2013???? If its not then I apologize… If it is then tell him crawl back into his hole………

    https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/crime-court-law/la-plaine-man-jailed-for-fraud/

    • Anonymous
      September 7, 2016

      Y’all always like to dig up things from the past. When somebody is doing something positive, say it! Are you perfect? This is an environmental issue and whatever this man has done has nothing to do with this current situation. What happen u getting free pork or what??

      • NabesandI
        September 8, 2016

        This isnt digging up anything the man was a Con artiste in New Jersey multiple arrests and prosecution for similar charges…….and you want me to stay quiet and talk about free pork??? Eh were u his partner in crime against all of these innocent people???

    • BEB
      September 7, 2016

      He is the same guy who was sentenced to 7 yrs. in prison, I do not know what happened why he is not serving that sentence after 3 yrs. I would like some one to fill me in

      • So BEB, let us assume I had a criminal background, went to jail serve time for the crimes I committed, and you were still on the Police Force; assuming I saw someone killed somebody, and I came to you to report what I saw; would you ignore me, or would you begin an investigation, by first interrogating me to see if I was telling the truth, and then pursue the criminal.

        BEB in America, anybody especially a Black person, man or woman can find themselves in jail sometimes innocently! Besides when someone server person sentences here, after a certain number of years, if they stay out of trouble, they can have their criminal record expunged.

        They function is society, as a new born person. Even if this guy is a supposedly criminal, the fact is this Toussiant is screwing up the environment, and he has to pay to clean the mess he caused. Are you blind BEB, I have not been to Dominica, for a while, nevertheless, I remember the waters in the rivers and streams were always very clear,…

    • Tjebe fort
      September 8, 2016

      Does this make the alleged wrongdoing by Dr. Toussaint any better. Besides, mr. Fontaine paid for any of his misdeeds.

  4. September 7, 2016

    What a dysfunctional government. Useless laws and ministers and ministries.100000% support for you Jason. Well done

  5. Blazer
    September 6, 2016

    I remember taking a bath in the Rosalie river and
    Low and behold pig s..t all around me some one
    Told me that came from ……. pig pens
    I got out of that water never to bath in Rosalie again
    I support mr fountain fight for Dominica

  6. Reasoning
    September 6, 2016

    :?: The people need to get rid of the pig sty themselves! People of this island must stop behaving passive and revolt by being physical!!!

  7. September 6, 2016

    If pig sh… is contaminating the river, what is the health department doing? If these allegations are true Dr. Tousaint must take ownership of the problem and work with the authorities to resolve it. What about a journalist visiting the site to give an unbiased report on what is actually happening. So far it is really vs blue.

  8. xxxxoooo
    September 6, 2016

    This morning on Matt I heard Mr. Fontaine profesS to be a registered labourite. This man should be ashamed of himself. He and other La Plaine labourite have voted Labour twice since that problem started in the river. up to now the problem persists…Well sir why don’t you seek an appointment with your labourite masters and friends…instead of calling Matt and DNO, the outlet for so us called ‘UWP frustrated supporters’….Labur Kay Twavey so go and check your so called friends to solve your problem. Hope you realize now who your real friends are…
    A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED. I THINK MR. FONTAINE IS JUST VYING TO BE THE NEXT LABOUR PARTY REPRESENTATIVE FOR LAPLAINE :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

    • Titiwi
      September 6, 2016

      I also heard mr. Fontaine. H made it clear that this is not a party politiical issue and I agree . I am not a Skerrit supporter but have no problem with people voting labour if they so wish. At the same time they should be able to hold people to account, regardless of party affiliation and it appears that is exactly what mr. Fontaine is doing. I take my hat off to him.

    • Anonymous
      September 7, 2016

      Really?? That’s the way things are in DA red vs Blue?? Well Ebeh look it. The problem is not Mr Fontaine’s own it’s an environmental issue. We too small minded papa. You probably don’t care because you’re not directly affected. This issue has nothing to do with what party the man supports; it’s an environmental issue!

  9. Tjebe fort
    September 6, 2016

    Very simple, stop buying pork processed by the abattoir till this mess has been cleaned up satisfactorily.

  10. ???????????
    September 6, 2016

    Anyway…Anyway..where is Dr. Darroux, Minister for Health and Environment in all this? That is the same kind of cold shoulder treatment he gave to the people of Marigot. You are a Medical Doctor for God sake. For a Doctor and Minister of the Environment you are a complete failure to th people of Dominica. What else would cause river stones to shine so much if not pig shit?????
    Come on Sir you are not Hon. Minister of Health for Petite Savanne people alone. You giving them free house and jobs while the Health of rest of Dominicans go to grass. It is our tax money that is paying you. Intervene in this matter as a matter of urgency.

    • CRIME STOPPERS
      September 6, 2016

      dem man just about rolling in their big suv with bling wheels and big pay check.. all its about

  11. curiorcity
    September 6, 2016

    The river most commonly used is sisari,what prolusion did they find in there? Tabarie is miles away from the village. The truth is, Laplaine people favor’s back neck in preference to a nice bit of fresh of Pork. No beach,no fishing boats all you got is the pork. he WILL GET a portion of land in coco-Centre to raise his pigs and goodbye to back&neck

    • Island empress
      September 6, 2016

      Take my advise and move to the foot of the class. You have a lot of learning to do. Some people just blog because they can move their fingers.

  12. Go To HELL!!!
    September 6, 2016

    Imagine a tourist visiting the area and took a picture of pig poopoo floating in the river, similar to the photo above and then post it on YouTube. Would you all say is people that hate Dominica that trying to hurt us? Well with the more than thousand words I see from this photo above, I have no doubt that the government is our greatest enemy because if they cared about us, they would address it long time ago and instead of a case between the former minister and the people it probably be one between the government of Dominica against the former minister. Somehow something is telling me :The corrupt man” has secret shares in this farm and therefore Beelzebub cannot fight Beelzebub, lest the kingdom falls.

    • River Street
      September 6, 2016

      I guess your opinion would be the same about Roseau and it’s environs viz a viz tourist and the populace. Stop beating on John, or compounding the issue; political vendetta shall fail.

  13. Shaka Zulu
    September 6, 2016

    It is the right thing to do. Now get onto the contents of the laws of the land. The chief health environmental officer has already publicly admitted there is a problem. She was speaking as a professional incharge and admitted wrongdoing. Waiting to see where this goes. There are tonnes of people violating the laws and people incharge making excuses for why they sre not doing thier jobs. People need to understand the safety and health of citizens come before everything else. Pig farm has to either move or put controls and monitoring systems in place. Controls has to take in account extreme conditions such as heavy rainfalls. Thats just the way it is. Please remember the pollution of our rivers and land will not only affect the source area. Fishes, birds, insects do not stay one place. Plastics thrown in backyard ravine in grandbay ends up on beach in marigot. Hence, the effects will not only be confined to laplain people.

  14. The Crab Boy
    September 6, 2016

    Another court matter between the government and the people? As we speak, the government of Dominica is before the court with the villagers, especially farmers of Salisbury, and this time it is the government of Dominica verses the people of La plaine, especially farmers again? Is it a sign that the government of Dominica is finally turning on it’s own people that they should be defending?

    ” A government of the people, by the people, and for the people” were the Words from the Gettysburg Address of Abraham Lincoln, often quoted as a definition of democracy. However, when the government is at war with it’s own people like we often see in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and now Venezuela, we know it is not a democratic government.

    The above article is proof that Dominica is NO LONGER a democratic country as the people become afraid of the government. In true democracy it is the government that is afraid of the people. Dominica is gone but not forgotten RIP Dominica

  15. Go To HELL!!!
    September 6, 2016

    This is not a La Plaine problem but a national problem that has the potential of affecting all of us. As I read this article I realized at least 5 of the main ministries are exposed. Yes I mean the minister of Heath, Agriculture, Tourism, Education, and Community, and we might even want to add a sixth one -PM because leadership is everything right? I say education because the minister for education is the parlep and anything that affects or threatens the health of the community will affect schools in the area. This is a huge problem and sadly, the BIG BOYS that control the TOP ministries cannot address. The question is WHY? Why are they all silent? Is it because it involves a former health minister ? But isn’t the former health minister a very close friend of the DLP and Prime Minister Skerrit? Could it be a sign that other top minister (S) might have interest in this farm, something similar to the villas allegation? Just asking cause I can’t understand the SILENCE

  16. Toussiant is either crazy or blind!

    Since the rap in Dominica at the moment is about dementia, and demented people, perhaps Toussiant should visit the founders of the dementia committee to have his head checked out!

    Only one without any commonsense would talk nonsense as “untrue, baseless and malicious” which “cannot be substantiated by any scientific, visual or tangible evidence.”

    There we are viewing the cesspools of contaminated water, we are viewing the pig feces in the river, and that man is talking about scientific, visible or tangible evidence? It is not visible to him because he has blind himself to the mess he made.

    Playing with the English language is not a resolve,

    • River Street
      September 6, 2016

      I guess your opinion would be the same about Roseau and it’s environs viz a viz tourist and the populace. Stop beating on John, or compounding the issue; political vendetta shall fail.

    • River Street
      September 6, 2016

      Fransisco it takes one to know one. Your assessment/diagnosis of Dr. Toussaint explains your biasness and ignorance; For once please keep your trap shut.

      • In any event, if you were not much more ignorant, than I am, you might be able to see the cesspools of pig feces, all over the place. And do not mention anything such thing as “Dr Toussiant to me; his name is John Toussiant; His academic titles matter squat doodle to me!

        You know why?

        I’ve been, there done that okay, and knows what it takes to accomplish academic degrees; so be he an animal doctor or whatever his profession. I have mine too, and I have never allowed education to take precedence over my humanity! I am human first and all else comes after. So because he is Dr. Toussiant in your world that gives him the right to screw up an entire community, and fools like you support him, simply because he is called doctor!

        Man if you are from River Street, you must know Jonathan Provost M.D., he is my friend, he is also brother to Julian Provost retained attorney for the villagers. If you know Jonathan, formally of 35 River Street and people like Griffin Benjamin, who’s…

      • If you know Jonathan, formally of 35 River Street and people like Griffin Benjamin, who’s grandmother is my aunt, you will know they are a different breed, of doctors who are not stock-up, they are very humble people!

        Where it pertains to their profession they function very effectively, they do walk around with the better than syndrome on their shoulders. I have dated many doctors here, I only found out their profession on our first date. There are many medical doctors in our church serving as Ushers; you do not know until you may get in a conversation with them, and if they wish to tell you what they do for a living they might tell you. A medical degree is not as a big deal in this country. And I am talking about people who save human life, not one who work on Animals, and cant’s a living by it unless they raise such animals as pigs: Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!

        What’s the big deal nobody grovel at their feet medical doctors here simply because they have a medical degree. I am…

      • Finally:

        What’s the big deal nobody grovel at their feet of medical doctors here simply because they have a medical degree. I am sure you know Lois Robinson, he is family to me, his grandmother is my aunt, my grandmother is his aunt also. I believe two or three of his children are medical doctors; I forgot how many; he has a son who is a DA in Florida, I am, sure they are not stock up!

        I say all of that to tell you I do not hold on to people’s coat tail and try to associate with them because of their profession, you all do that in Dominica, simply say that person is “my friend.”

        Dr. who: John Toussiant? His name does not ring a bell in my ear. Do you believe Julian would take a case if there was no merit to it? He went; he saw the mess, that is why he took the case; so why do you term me ignorant? Shut up guy; just shut up okay!

  17. Pure Possie
    September 6, 2016

    You mean tell a simple problem like that could not be resolved outside of court? Folks, based on a letter published by DNO, coming from a former Health Minister with all types of degree according to his own letter, we know the alleged offender is a former Minister of Heath, in the current DLP – Skerrit administration. But the frightening thing is, as of now no one, including Skerrit or the current Health Minister has been able to sit the man down and let him understand that in the interest of community health he needs to do something ASAP? Does this not suggest that this is NOT the government for the people? If this thing occurred in Marigot or Salisbury, I would say Skerrit must be using it to teach the people that they have a poor and weak parlrep, that cannot help them. But this is La Plaine, a constituency carried by the DLP the last ten years, and let alone the current parlrep is Minister of Education, Petter St. Jeaane, who seems to be very moomoo on this. What a shame!

    • xxxxoooo
      September 6, 2016

      Let the people of La Plaine take what they get….Labour kay Twavey

      • Anonymous
        September 7, 2016

        So because they voted a party that you obviously don’t support, the river should be polluted? Well sah we finish in DA. Our mentality in this country needs to be changed forthwith.

  18. September 6, 2016

    Pardon the term, but this is hug wash, a picture is worth a thousand words, except for the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles where it was cough on tape and yet the police was found not guilty by an all white jury, but this is clearly pig waste going down stream Steve Wonder can see , good luck to the people of la plain please don’t stop the fight it is for all of Dominica.

  19. September 6, 2016

    About time

  20. Massacre
    September 6, 2016

    How can this be alleged still? This is a clear and present danger to the health of the people and environment but because it is a Government Man , we are threading a fine line. And it is these kind of foolishness that will eventually cripple Dominica. WE are too afraid to call a spade a spade.
    Dominica is bigger than any one man, so if he is doing things to bring our lovely land into disrepute we should be quick to call him out on that.
    One day we will pay for our silence.

  21. Dominican
    September 6, 2016

    I applaud this action. Time to show that common interest and protection of the environment are for real. The interest s of the people come before those of a privileged few, who think they can act with impunity. Academic qualifications, even a doctorate are no substitute for common sense, natural justice or business acumen.

  22. DonK
    September 6, 2016

    La Plaine needs to come together to stop that poopoo floating down the river. Too much poopoo in the place. Who would like to be eatting a kfc with their family on the river bank and next thing you see 3 gallons of greenish and brownish pig poopoo floating by your picnic. Too much poopoo in the place! Too much!!

    STop the poopoo Now!!

  23. UDOHREADYET
    September 6, 2016

    Of course… Laplaine people not coushoni. Its not political its not business it an environmental issue affecting our community.
    Great job Jason.

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