CASTRIES, St Lucia, CMC – A water-related state of emergency could be declared as early as next week as drought conditions across St Lucia worsen, the head of the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) has said.
“At present we can only call on the public to be conservative in the use of water but if they don’t comply there is nothing we can do about it,” warned WASCO Managing Director John Joseph.
Declaring a water emergency would provide the Minister for Public Utilities with the authority to establish certain modes of behaviour with regards to the public use of water and take action if they are not followed.
Hey this is very serious and that why it is not good to be jealous of other people and what they have. St lucia boast of 5 star hotels and is much more develepe that DA but it have it cost and here is one of them. They had to clear prime land and cut roads that affected theie eco system now they paying the price. Our peple need to be commended. 25 to 40 yrs from now we will still be fine
I hear Haitians are cutting down trees to make coals. Somebody should do something about that.
the colihaut river where i grew up was a large flowing body of water,now it is just a ravine (small creek) thanks to the quarry up at the top next to the former police station.
if we a not carefull more of our rivers will end up like this
Yes we are cutting trees in Dominica but its not Dominica only which has caused there to be that weather. There is Climate change going on and a Global warming.
Let us start to look closely at conserving our water and other natural resources more than ever before. Our watershed areas should be totally OFF limits to all kinds of residential and other construction. We should continue to protect our forest reserve at all cost. Whats happening in St Lucia should be a warning to us as a people. Let us stop wasting water and other resources. TO DOWASCO I SAY REPLACE all the 30 yr old pipes we have running from Mahaut southward to Roseau and other areas. THESE pipes leak out more water daily than is consumed monthly. Lets plan today to avoid headache tomorow.
This is a lesson for us to learn.Thank God for Athie Martin,Bernard Wiltshire and co….Their efforts are dubbed political,but you all guys are the real “brain” we need in this land to manage our affairs.
This is a lesson for Dominica, The Government have should not be blamed, the people should be blamed we cut trees and destroy our water sheds, it is time for us to WATCH , PLANT AND PRAY. The rain is on it’s way to us an abundance of rain is coming.
The bad snow storms around the world has had an impact on the amount of moisture in our atmosphere, therefore next month should see rain.
RICHARD PRIOR I agree with you. that proposal and prayers will ideally go hand in hand.
Vanessa Prevost and her organisation came up with a brilliant idea, a few years ago, of planting 1 million trees in Dominica within a certain time frame for all the good reasons we know. Politicians and other professionals are so engrossed in listening to ‘experts’ from outside and thinking of personal wealth accumulation, that the ‘inperts’ good ideas are dumped aside.
It was the Layou villagers recently who fearlessly put a halt to two foreign investors bent on causing environment problems in the community. Without Planning Division’s permission, one was dredging sand from Layou river, the other preparing to build asphalt plant in vicinity of village. Gov’t has refused to deal with those responsible for acting illegally. But our local environmentalists are chastised, demonised for advocating against activities that would destroy our environment. Remember the proposed oil refinery, an idea from outside that Gov’t wanted to go ahead with, but blocked by the Dominican people? Imagine the dangers and damage to our water, and water sources There are very little or no action re. conservation and preservation of our natural resources. It seems we do not want our children’s children to enjoy what we are still blessed with Dominican gold, WATER. WATER IS LIFE . Haven’t you experience the drought, the dryness, the problems of farmers to grow crops because of lack of water? The St. Lucia case is a further wake up call. But do we take heed of those things? It’s business as usual.
Nike prays will not save Dominica unless the government and people take responsibility to protect our rivers. A few months before the general election we were made aware of the venture by Arthie Martin and company to export water. The public has not seen the environmental impact statement. In addition to the ungoing destruction of the watershed areas and the dwindling of our rivers and lakes we are planing massive export of our precious water. I solidarity with VictimHood I suggest that the government impliment a strong and decisive plan to protect our rivers and to restore full body capacity.
not withstanding st lucia, Dominica was once dubbed the land of rivers. that is slowing not being mentioned. Some ppl once warned the government to monitor our rivers as a national programme but ..but they played politics. imagine we could have started since 2004.
suggestions:
plant trees in our household areas.
green/trees our open spaces
buffer the river banks as done in grenada, with trees to reduce evapotranspiration
encourage abandon farmers to plant trees ..instead of letting land go fallow….with a small incentive such as $0.50 per tree planted per yr. hence if i plant and maintain 200 forest tree species on my abandon farm in Belles area, after certification annually by a ministry extension person, i can get $ 100.00 for the yr and if i keep it up for the first 5 or 7 yrs (just 1 political term) i can earn $500.00 to $ 700.00 for the term.
then apply this as a pilot trial to 20 farmers on the island in and around sensitive water areas. http://www.naturelink.dm
such trees can also be timber value species like mahogany etc, so in 20 yrs u can selectively harvest a few trees.
more ideas….:
river adoptation by villaes or coorperate companies or firms. example….your think that the quarry companies in or around a river or a community would adopt a river. think hard. see how many quarries are set up along rivers.
what about dominica public holiday for ”RIVER DAY”! this will surely secure our future, same as world water day, or world food day… or world HIV/Aids day or just as independence day. i don’t see the differences? do u? we celebrate freedom more or less, yet we afraid to set a day for the creation of the Almighty works which we cannot create ourself. think of it….can u create a seed?lol
water is life. think smart and see where we should concentrate our humane energies. CREATION/LIFE AND NATURALNESS IF FIRST.
thanks for your space.
Who would have thought this could happen so close to home in one of our sister isle.
My people let us stop talking bad of Dominica and Dominicans. we are a blessed people, and blessed country. Let us pray without ceasing and thank God for the many blessing he has bestowed on us least he turn his back on us for being an ungrateful people.
Dominica its your time now to capitalize on this situation in the caribbean and to preserv our riversbecause the next WORLD WAR IS FOR FRESH DRINKING WATER. Dominica you have the most important liquid in abundance and we alowing our rivers to dry by cutting down black is white. All man want to build on the river bank now.