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This photo illustrates the proximity of the brewery and the offensive tanks to Roucha Bay. (iWN file photo)
This photo illustrates the proximity of the brewery and the offensive tanks to Roucha Bay. (iWN file photo)

Residents of Roucha Bay, Campden Park have written to Minister of Heath Luke Browne in yet another attempt to get his ministry to address the issue of the stench emanating from St. Vincent Brewery Ltd., which boundaries their community.

The residents have also written to incumbent MP for South Leeward, Nigel “Nature” Stephenson, and Mineva Glasgow, who is vying to replace him in Parliament after the Nov. 5 general elections.

Some 51 residents of the community have signed the Oct. 19 letter to the health minister — who is the ruling Unity Labour Party candidate in East Kingstown — asking that he address the matter.

“This letter is to inform you that we the residents of Roucha Bay have decided to move a bit further in documenting our situation and condition in our community,” says the letter, a copy of which has been obtained by iWitness News.

”Mr. Minister, we have contacted you many times via telephone calls expressing our concerns about the stench coming from the St. Vincent Brewery Ltd. The wastewater and [stench] are unbearable.”

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The residents said that in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic and the dengue epidemic, “we are more concerned about our lives and health condition as we try to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.

“We are soliciting your help as the Minister who is responsible for this ministry and ask that you address this matter soonest in saving the lives of our people,” the letter said.

Meanwhile, in an Oct. 19 letter, sent to both Stephenson and Glasgow, the residents said that they were aware that both politicians are busy as they vie to be elected MP for South Leeward.

“However, this letter is to inform you that Roucha Bay residents are also seeking good representation in this upcoming election and the future,” the resident said.

They said that they have telephoned the Ministry of Health numerous times about the “unbearable” stench and wastewater coming from the St. Vincent Brewery Ltd.

“We are fed up and thus asking you to look into the matter as you are seeking our support. The situation is unendurable, disgusting, and it is sickening.  We want representation from you. We are left behind here to suffer it’s wrong,” the residents said.

“We are soliciting your help as the person running for this South Leeward seat, who will be responsible for our constituency, and we beg that you address this matter soonest in saving the lives of our people.”

In July 2019, residents of the community invited iWitness News to visit as they complained about the stench.

A couple told iWitness News that they had been living in the community for about 20 years, and the problem started since the brewery built some tanks close to their perimeter fence a few years ago.

“The scent never stops so even when you want to sleep you have to close down the whole house, even if it’s hot. From the time you open the window, that’s it. You can’t sleep. It wakes you up,” the woman told iWitness News.

The man said that there are times when the stench arises and then the company would do something to eliminate it, but that is not always the case.

“You can’t even sleep in your house at nights,” the man said, adding that he spends most of his time in Mustique but when he returns to St. Vincent, he can hardly spend time at his house.

“This thing gives you headache all thing,” he said, with the woman adding, “It gives you headaches, it gives you vomiting, it gives you all kinda thing and it’s overbearing now.”

3 replies on “Residents write Health minister, candidates over Brewery stench”

  1. Percival Thomas says:

    Adrian Bailey thank you so much for this information. I have read the article and I believe what you have written is true. But I still can’t believe all this happened under the eyes of Vincentians and is still happening, and this wicked, wretched, hateful, spiteful government is asking for another five years to inflict more of its wickedness on Vincentians.
    SVG the weakest economy in the OECS and highest unemployment.
    The destruction of morality in the country and its consequences, especially for women. All this by the ULP.
    The poor health care and all those sufferings for poor people.
    The unsuitable education system.
    The neglect of agriculture.
    What is most distasteful about the ULP, is all those who collaborated with Ralph Gonsalves in subjecting Vincentians to this painful and shameful period of history. I am speaking of the cabinet Ministers past and presents who sat/sit in cabinet and watched the destruction of our beautiful country. Don’t they LOVE their country? Don’t these have families: mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and friends?. How can these people look Vincentians in the eyes and say we want to make life better for Vincentians. Others high up in the ULP must take some of the blame for the state of SVG, under Ralph Gonsalves. Some Pastors too are involved in the support of this shameless government. And their supporters should wake up to reality and see what is happening in SVG
    So, our duty on 5 November can’t be clearer. We must vote in our thousands and thousands to get rid of Ralph.
    This country must never, never, see another ULP government. Let us wipe them off the map and bury them once and for all. I believe we will remove them from power, so that Vincentians can breathe again. We owe the removal of the ULP from power for the sake of our children and grandchildren and future generations. We need to get back our SVG out of the hands of Ralph. We must send Ralph to the “political gallows.”

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