By Fabian Ledgister, Staff Reporter
Chicken feathers and blood flowing from underneath North Avenue in Kingston Gardens on Tuesday. - RICARDO MAKYN
BLOOD ROSE FROM a manhole on North Avenue, in Kingston Gardens, yesterday.
Entrails and feathers were among the substances being brought up with the suspicious liquid, but surprisingly, residents were quite nonchalant about the occurrence.
"Yea, a long time dis a gwaan ... it need fi fix cause it a guh harbour fly an sick wi baby dem," stated a female resident, pointing at the pungent liquid.
Upon investigations, it was discovered that the 'bloody' liquid was coming from the Caribbean Broilers (CB) plant in the area. When contacted, CB said it had just received the report on the matter from their plant manager. According to their report, the overrun of the waste material was caused by another broken manhole along the eight inch pipeline that transported the waste material from the plant. However, THE STAR team could not find this "broken manhole".
"We told the National Water Commission (NWC) about the broken manhole, but it said they don't have any manholes now, so we are commissioning one ourselves to fix the problem," stated CB Marketing Manager, Roger Thompson.
NWC, however, said they knew nothing of any such situation, adding that only liquid waste was to be sent through their sewage pipes. "These pipelines are not for solid waste such as entrails and feathers ... so the matter will be investigated," stated NWC's Corporate Public Relations Manager, Charles Buchanan.
Residents, however, are more concerned with the threat of disease. They say that since Friday, the waste material has brought a swarm of flies into the area. They also say that dogs and rats are eating the chicken waste material, posing a possible threat of disease outbreak.
"Bwoy dis really nasty weh dem a do to wi ... since dis a gwaan nuh customer nah cum into di place," said a shop attendant, as the liquid flowed directly in front of her grocery store.
Efforts to contact the Ministry of Health were futile up to press time, but Thompson noted that the plant has personnel from the ministry permanently posted to monitor their operations.
"The plant cannot function without personnel from the ministry giving the go-ahead ... that is a must for a chicken processing plant," stated Thompson.
The NWC's Waste Water team will be investigating the matter, and says that penalties will be imposed if the plant is found in breach of regulations.
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