No evidence of sewage being dumped in Savannah

There was a report from a media company that waste matter was being dumped in the QPS after the two days of merriment on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

However Martinez said the report was not accurate. The portable toilets were provided by Tropical Tent Rentals, but they had hired a sub-contractor who did the pumping and extraction of the waste.

“The information was not correct.

The toilets were being cleaned out in the Savannah so the stench that was let off made people assume that the waste was being pumped into the Savannah, but it was being pumped into the trucks,” Martinez said.

Managing Director of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) Hayden Romano confirmed this was true. When Newsday tried to contact the sub-contractor (name given) a woman who identified herself as an assistant, said her boss, (name called) was not available and she would pass on the message. The call was never returned.

Romano said officials from the National Carnival Committee (NCC) were themselves concerned and investigated the matter themselves.

He said the waste was transported to the Beetham Landfill over the Carnival weekend.

“There is no way we would be happy with somebody dumping raw sewage in the Savannah,” he said.

Chairman of the EMA, Nadra Nathai-Gyan said it was practice for contractors to lay the porta-potties down after they had emptied them to discourage others from using them. She added if sewage was being dumped in the QPS, the company would have been taken to task. Romano said the local laws would have to be addressed and the way a body would be charged was under the Litter Act. The maximum fine under the Act is $4,000.

“It tells us we really need to review our legislation especially with respect to dumping,” Romano said.