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Absorbent booms at the entrance of drain number nine which were placed to prevent the contaminant from entering the Caroni Swamp on August 11. – Jeff K. Mayers

The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) says recommendations to prevent a recurrence of a recent spill of a yet-to-be identified substance which seeped into the waterways of the protected Caroni Bird Sanctuary is among proactive measures to be taken.

On Friday, incident commander Steve Lalbeharry, accompanied by Forestry Division officers, took the media on a guided tour of the sanctuary to show that there were no residual signs of the contaminant which was first discovered on August 11, in a drain at the sanctuary’s public carpark, near the Uriah Butler Highway.

Lalbeharry identified three potential sources of the leakage of the substance – at the carpark, Frederick Settlement Industrial Estate and the intersection of the skimming drain along channel nine.

The EMA, along with the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), the Forestry Division, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) and other agencies have been on the ground mopping up any residual substance and contaminated grass and other debris since August 11. The following day, dead fish were observed along channel nine likely as a result of the contaminant.

Navin Kalpoo captains the boat while making pineapple chow during a tour of the Caroni Swamp with the EMA on August 19. – Jeff K. Mayers

About three barrels of oily, black substance were suctioned from the carpark drain and other absorbent pads were used to extract the substance from the surface of the water. Three absorbent booms were also placed at the entrance to channel nine to block the flow of the substance and they were still in place on Friday.

Lalbeharry said the EMA is awaiting the analysis of the substance recovered and the investigations are continuing. Anyone found culpable of dumping contaminants, especially in a protected wildlife area, can face substantial fines under the amended legislation.

The Caroni Bird Sanctuary lies west of the Uriah Butler Highway and the 8,300 hectares of wetland is the home of one of the national birds, the scarlet ibis, pink flamingoes, a variety of fresh water fish, snakes, including anacondas, caimans, and numerous others species of animals.

Thousands of eco-tourists visit annually, both locally and internationally, for the guided boat tours along the scenic eight-kilometre north/south channel of the Blue River which leads to the Gulf of Paria. Mangrove trees line the river and branches form a canopy overhead with the odd rainbow boa constrictor adding to the adventurous journey.

Boat tour operators now offer both breakfast and diner tours which patrons can witness flocks of scarlet ibis either leaving the sanctuary in the morning or returning to roost at twilight.

During the tour there was no visible signs to the human eyes or scent of hydrocarbons after the boat left the visitor’s docking station. Apart from a handful of discarded plastic bottles and coffee bottles there was no commercial debris trapped in the mangrove roots. Several trees had fallen into the canal and the captain, Navin Kalpoo, had to switch off the engine and manoeuvre the vessel safely across.

Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally, who was on site on August 11, in a letter to the EMA, the IMA and the ODPM on August 19, called for greater monitoring of the sanctuary and a quicker response to potential environmental dangers.

“Any large-scale dumping of oil will severely damage the quality of soil and water such that large tracts of the bird sanctuary will become uninhabitable and its critical ecosystems destroyed. I cannot emphasise enough that our survival cannot be delinked from the ecosystems and natural environment in which we live.”

” The Caroni Swamp is so ecologically diverse with its particular collection of fish, insect, other organisms and plant species. It is absolutely unique. As such it is protected by the Ramsar Convention. Loss of, or damage to, this particular environment would mean the loss of things that exist nowhere else and that can never be replaced.

The mangrove forests and wetlands provide nurseries and shelters for fisheries, habitat for a variety of domestic wildlife and migratory birds. They are a source of food for organisms of the lower part of the food chain. Their roots also play an important role in the mineral cycle that is necessary for maintaining the productivity exhibited by the mangrove communities.”

Rambally said oil contaminants can be taken up by plant roots, causing damage to the plants over time and affect animals and humans in the long run.

Steve Lalbeharry, incident commander of the EMA speak to the media during a tour of the Caroni Swamp on August 19. – Jeff K. Mayers

While he commended the EMA and the other agencies for its efforts to clean up the oily substance on August 11, he believed the response was too slow as the scent was first detected by tour operators late August 10 to early August 11, and the vacuum truck began operation around 6.30 pm on August 11.

“My intention in raising this is not to point fingers at any entity but simply to ensure whether we can establish, for the purposes of investigation, whether there was a time lag in relaying information between Forestry Division and the EMA and/or whether there was a time lag in responding to this environmental disaster.”

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Black Immigrant Daily News

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Black Immigrant Daily News

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Hanif Benjamin in an interview at the Centre for Human Development, Tunapuna. – File photo/Angelo Marcelle

There are basic signs that people can look out for when dealing with mental illnesses, clinical traumatologist and clinical therapist Hanif Benjamin said on Saturday, adding access to mental health is still limited in this country.

“Sometimes people look for big signs. But we are not paying attention to the simplicity of issues and signs. For example, the change in how people dress or if they are no longer taking care of themselves.”

Benjamin was responding to the death of seven-year-old Mckenzie Hope Rechier who was found strangled in a shack in Palo Seco. A female relative, 25, is in custody.

He said other signs could be people are no longer interested in things they once loved or no longer want to go out or be involved in anything, whether at work, at home, or in their personal lives. Benjamin, founder of The Centre for Human Development, said when people are not their “normal selves,” chances are something may be going on and require some level of interrogation.

“Sometimes it might be changes to their sleeping and eating patterns. Some sleep too much or too little or have a restless sleep. Some people eat too much or too little. They might eat feel-good food like ice cream, cake or whatever they consider comfort food and not understanding that that is a response to something that is going on within them that they are not paying attention to.”

The former head of the Children’s Authority said people are often not aware when their mental state changes.

Benjamin said, “Chances are there would be a physiological change. Unfortunately, the physiological change is the end result. We need to teach people to pay attention to when the change in emotion has changed — when people move from happy to sad.”

“I am not saying that people must always be happy because that is also a problem. When a person is in a period of prolonged sadness where doing basic, natural things have become a chore, we need to pay attention to that.”

He said society must normalise mental health and mental health treatment. He added that many people with mental health issues do not get help.

He said people view them as problems instead of dealing with the illness.

“We validate a physical illness but do not validate mental health because we do not see it. We associate mental health with lazy people, people who just have to get up and walk. Once we move away from those stigmas, we realise that more and more people are going to get help.

“Most times, people have access only when they are in a crisis. But there are limited public options for a person who is genuinely having a challenge and wants to work through things.”

Benjamin referred to statistics from the World Health Organization saying four in five people would live with depression at some point in their lives.

“In the Caribbean, we are battling mental health stigma. So a lot of people do not come forward and say they are living with this or feeling this way for fear of being ridiculed, segregated and separated.

“We need to make it so that people feel comfortable enough to say that there has been a change in our mental state, a change in our emotion. The workplace must be comfortable enough that staff can bring a sick that says depression, anxiety, stress, etc.”

He again called for a full mental health clinic at every health centre in TT to help remove stigmas.

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Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley operates a coffee grinder on display the the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo at Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Friday. – SUREASH CHOLAI

VISHANNA PHAGOO

Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales and technocrats from Caricom countries underscored the importance of agriculture, and what they expect of people in the region to in its efforts to achieve food security.

Gonzales said his ministry was essential to Trinidad and Tobago’s economic development as it provides water and electricity. He was speaking at the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo at Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, on Friday, where the expo takes place until 10 pm on Sunday.

“So what we are seeing here…, the vast display, the great innovation and thrust of development in our agricultural sector cannot be done if the Ministry of Public Utilities doesn’t have the policy of the government where public utilities are concerned. It cannot happen because we have to ensure we have sufficient water to irrigate our crops, we have to ensure that power is put on our farms.”

He said there are many farmers in TT, and possibly the entire region, who operate outside the electricity grid. Gonzales said the ministry plans to place solar panels at farms so they have access to power.

“Even though they are not integrated into the electricity world, they can now have access to solar power to power their farms.”

In addition to solar panels, Gonzales said the ministry will use its modular water treatment plants to boost the water supply.

Ariaponics manager Alex Jones shows the lettuce grown using his hydroponics system at the Agri-Invesment Forum and Expo, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Friday. – VISHANNA PHAGOO

“There are many ground and surface water that we have not harvested, and a number of rural communities do not have access to water, and with the use of modular water treatment plants we are going to bring to TT, we are going to target the rural communities because they have access to rivers and water wells. So, we are going to get the water treated by those plants because they can be easily and strategically placed around the communities.”

He said this will provide water in homes and farms that will result in more locally-sourced foods.

He said those interested in getting power supply can apply to the ministry’s electrification and solar electrification programmes. The cost is between $50,000 and $60,000 to provide power to their homes or farms.

Meanwhile, at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, Caricom technocrats discussed the need to promote healthy eating, the benefits of incorporating technology into agriculture, financing for small and medium farms and how to boost trade and investments in the region.

Shaun Baugh, programme manager of agricultural and agro-industrial development of Guyana, said there are many ongoing projects, some of which include de-risking of the regional agriculture sector, regional insurance, looking at alternative sources of financing and the removal of tariff barriers.

Also speaking at the food and nutrition panel, co-founder and director of Empower Nutrition Ltd Mweia Elias said nutrition is overlooked when it comes to discussing food security.

“There is no conversation about food security without nutrition security,” she said.

Elias said covid19 discussions have overshadowed that of chronic illnesses, and said at least 60 per cent of TT’s population suffers from over-nutrition. She said many patients express a love-hate relationship with flour and said there must be more options that are easily accessible.

Manager of Ariaponics Alex Jones said all of their produce is grown using hydroponics and a solar power system. – VISHANNA PHAGOO

During the agriculture, finance and marketing panel, Karen Yip Chuck, general manger, commercial and retail banking of Republic Bank Ltd (RBL), said the bank has committed GYD$2 billion (TT$64.9 million) to help micro-projects blossom to large scale in the country.

“RBL can provide the financing but it may not be accessible to the people who need it if they do not have business cases, they need to show performer financials – what their cash flow is.”

She said TT has the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), but other countries in the region may not hence RBL’s commitment to the cause.

ADB chairman Sekou Mark said 25 per cent of the 650 loans the ADB issues annually were to young entrepreneurs.

After the the forum, there was the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Caricom Private Sector Organisations, Caribbean Supermarket Association, Manufacturers’ Association and Agri-Business Association, and the signing of the declaration by the Prime Minister and Caricom Private Sector.

At the expo, Dr Rowley and other delegates toured the booths. Each booth had representatives of from companies such as Ariaponics and Trintrac, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and the Agricultural Society of TT. Representatives explained the benefits, challenges and solutions that come with farming.

At the Ariaponics booth, manager Alex Jones showed how large and crisp lettuce and chadon beni grew with the help of the nutrition being circulated into the hydroponic system, and said the entire process operates with solar power. He said the lettuce only takes a little over 30 days before they are ready for consumption.

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