Black Immigrant Daily News

According to Richard Simms, the Director of the Department of Environmental Health (DEH), each week, the DEH uses its incinerator to burn thousands of pounds of materials, including medical waste, narcotics and other seized goods.

When this happens twice per week (with each load being about 6,400 lbs), gases are released into our air.

Regarding what is specifically emitted, Mr Simms articulated that:

No emissions monitoring is possible on the exhaust gases from the current system. The incinerator has a two stage burn system with a primary chamber for the waste to be placed for incineration and a secondary chamber where the flue gases are further incinerated prior to emission from the stack. Typical gases released from these systems are in the majority combustion products such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide plus hydrogen chloride and other trace gases.

With respect to sulphur dioxide (SO?), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes SO? as “a colorless gas with a characteristic, irritating, pungent odor.”

Exposure to sulfur dioxide may cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat. Symptoms include: nasal mucus, choking, cough, and reflex bronchi constriction, and when liquid: frostbite- Workers may be harmed from exposure to sulfur dioxide. The level of exposure depends upon the dose, duration, and work being done.

The CDC added.

Regarding nitrogen dioxide, some guidance on this is provided by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

According to the EPA:

Breathing air with a high concentration of NO2 can irritate airways in the human respiratory system. Such exposures over short periods can aggravate respiratory diseases, particularly asthma, leading to respiratory symptoms (such as coughing, wheezing or difficulty breathing), hospital admissions and visits to emergency rooms. Longer exposures to elevated concentrations of NO2 may contribute to the development of asthma and potentially increase susceptibility to respiratory infections. People with asthma, as well as children and the elderly are generally at greater risk for the health effects of NO2.

With no emissions monitoring possible on the exhaust gases from the current system used by DEH, it is unclear how much SO?, NO? and other gases have been released into the atmosphere over the past decade and who (if anyone) could have been impacted.

Given these concerns, government officials may wish to consider whether it is now prudent to consider the implementation of a Clean Air Act, the purpose of such an Act being to enhance the health and safety of members of the public, to protect them from dangerous emissions and to make users of such incinerators legally accountable.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Marathon Insurance Brokers is giving easy access to low-cost coverage to all public transport operators and commuters, including taxis, coasters and minibuses, minivans, trucks and other vehicles.

‘WHATEVER YOU DRIVE” 24/7 is a new offering by the insurance brokerage firm to slash coverage costs, simplify insurance processes and make premium payments more affordable for clients.

The new platform can provide clients with commercial and private insurance quotations while delivering these values 24/7 – from the convenience of their homes.

“Marathon is the only insurance broker with a product that can get the consumer a quote from over 10 insurance companies on car, taxi, minibus, coaster, truck, trailer, crane, motorcycles – ‘whatever you drive’”, MIB Chief Executive Officer – Levar Smith said.

The new MIBInsure platform will save Marathon clients up to 60 per cent or more on motor premiums and allow them up to nine months to pay.

The hi-tech portal presents a super highway of benefits, easing the burden of insurance renewals as it clusters all possible discounts and benefits available from every provider within the local insurance sector in one place. This allows clients to choose the best fit for their vehicles, their passengers/customers and their pockets.

MIB’s electronic system will give full access to transport operators to compare rates across the broad spectrum of insurance providers.

Clients can also receive timely automated renewal notices detailing all competitive rates to their existing policies so that they can make decisions in their best interest.

They can also print their own cover note, renew their policies, and report their claim online.

“This product allows insurance companies to compete for private and commercial motor business from consumers. It is about serving the insurance industry from the point of view of the insured. Our people need a break from the economic stress, and Marathon will always do what is best for our clients,” Smith said.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

News

File photo/Roger Jacob

The Golden Grove Road, Piarco will be closed from Friday at 9 am to Saturday at 4 pm to facilitate bridge reconstruction work.

In a media release on Wednesday morning, the Ministry of Works and Transport announced the temporary traffic disruption.

It said local traffic can continue to pass within the work zone, near the B1/2 Golden Grove Bridge, but other drivers should use either Trincity Boulevard East or Trincity Central Road to access the Churchill Roosevelt Highway or the Eastern Main Road.

Drivers should take care and observe all directional signs and barriers; comply with instructions from the police; be aware of heavy equipment on-site; drive with caution on all milled or uneven surfaces; and slow down when approaching the work zone.

For further information, visit the Ministry of Works and Transport’s website at www.mowt.gov.tt or call the Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency Unit at 638-2350/675-4052.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Tobago

Soca artiste Marvin Lewis performs at the Republic Day 2022 cultural show at Roxborough Sporting Complex on September 24. Photo by David Reid

ENTERTAINER Marvin Lewis is demanding that the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP)-led THA find money to pay the Tobago artistes who performed during the inaugural October Carnival, which was held from October 28-30.

In an emotionally-charged video posted on his Facebook page on Monday, Lewis, who sang at several events during the festival, claimed local artistes have not been paid. He said the issue had brought him to tears.

“Allyuh (THA) now go in but allyuh outta touch…allyuh really don’t know what allyuh doing,” an angry Lewis said.

“It have plenty people (suffering). Is them ah crying for, not me, they can’t pay their bills because they can’t get their money for carnival.

“We in the second week after carnival and plenty of them, besides myself, still waiting on money for carnival.”

Newsday reached out to two Tobago artistes who performed during the carnival, who said they had not yet been paid.

“No, not yet,” a female calypsonian said.

“But I am accustomed to them inno. Them does pay two and three months after you perform.”

Another entertainer said she only received her cheque late in September from a performance in July.

“So we may have a while to go to get the carnival cheque.”

She claimed late payments have been the trend for years, even during the former PNM administration.

Lewis, a Tobagonian, claimed many people, outside of those in the cultural fraternity, are also being neglected by the THA.

“Allyuh really eh care. Is across the board allyuh doing that inno. Is not just artistes inno. Allyuh treating allyuh own people like dog.”

Lewis added, “I doh care who vex with me because I is a proud Tobagonian who sell Tobago. Right now my fellow artistes, man and women hungry, we suffering under allyuh and allyuh bad behaviour. It have people can’t pay their bills.”

He claimed all of the foreign-based entertainers who were contracted to perform during the carnival were paid.

“The people allyuh bring in, allyuh done pay them and gone. So is not no processing problem, and they get paid plenty more than we.”

Lewis said the PDP, which won the December 6, 2021, THA election, overwhelmingly, could just as easily be removed.

“They same way allyuh could go in allyuh could come out.”

He said he holds no allegiance to any political party.

“We on realness. I don’t care about political party. Right now allyuh have me real bitter.

“THA buck up and if allyuh can’t buck up, we getting rid of allyuh.”

Alluding to the Burna Boy concert on October 27, which closed the TOMAC Festival, Lewis said local artistes were disrespected.

“Is the first carnival I know where the focal point was an outside artiste. Is best they did bring Machel Montano. He from Trinidad and Tobago – and he woulda mash up the place more. We woulda jump up in the rain.”

On the Tobago Updates morning show, THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris said he was taken aback by Lewis’s video.

He said home-grown artistes should be respected just as much as their international counterparts.

“The international artistes who came in, whether from Trinidad or abroad, they were paid up front. But our own artistes, who are here depending on those contributions to survive, they have to wait a long time,” he said.

“It is two weeks after carnival and we know $17.5 million was allocated, yet our artistes are crying out asking this administration to have a heart to pay them. I am saying just as how we can pay those artistes from outside up front, why can’t we pay our artistes up front as well? Are they not as valued? Are they not as treasured?”

Morris said Tobagonians must be treated with dignity.

When contacted, Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation Tashia Burris said she had not seen Lewis’s video. But she said if he was contracted to perform he would be paid “as per the norm.

“If a contract was signed for his performance, as all others, the contracting entity would need to abide by those terms and conditions as set out by the artiste,” Burris said in a WhatsApp statement.

She said the Tobago Festivals Commission was responsible for executing the carnival.

Newsday tried to contact the commission’s CEO, John Arnold, but was unsuccessful.

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