BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JULY 7TH 2017 – Another call for the Timothy Harris three-party coalition not to build the new Basseterre High School on the St. Kitts’ water table, which provides millions of gallons of water daily to thousands of residents in Basseterre and its environs.
The call comes from the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP). caretaker for St. Christopher 8, Dr. Terrance Drew, who said he will protest the construction of the school, even if he has to stand alone in protection of the human rights of the people to clean and uncontaminated drinking water.
During Wednesday’s Issues programme on Freedom 106.5 FM Dr. Drew referred to the conclusion of local, regional and internationally acclaimed son of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Joseph Christmas in his thesis entitled: Hydrogeology of an unconfined Coastal Aquifer System Basseterre Valley, St. Kitts, submitted for his Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of the West Indies Geology Department, University of the West Indies, 1977.
Dr. Christmas stated: “Some of the preceding points and techniques put forth in this discussion, may seem on the surface to be somewhat idealistic in the light of today’s economic realities, but the widespread ruin of several coastal aquifers in various parts of the world as mentioned previously, testifies to the need for effective scientific management of coastal aquifer development. Such management must be founded mainly on hydrogeological and hydrometerological principles. Attempting to cure a contaminated aquifer by methods such as modification of pumping regime, artificial recharge and creation of pumping trough, pressure ridge or subsurface barrier is not only a costly venture with no guarantee of effective cure within a reasonable time, but the intervening dislocation of the water system can be an impediment to economic development, thus prevention should be the aim.”
Dr. Drew said he is in agreement with the conclusion of the late Dr. Christmas, that while several aquifers have been destroyed in other countries “we in St. Kitts and Nevis must protect our aquifer.”
He said the issue of building the new Basseterre High School on the island’s water table is not a political issue.
“He (Dr. Christmas) has not named political parties. What he is saying to the country is that we must protect our main water source. During the Labour Party administration of Robert Bradshaw the aquifer was protected as much as possible. During the PAM administration of Kennedy Simmonds, the aquifer was protected as much as possible. During the Labour Administration of Denzil Douglas, again, it was protected as much as possible. But now, under this Team Unity – PLP/CCM/PAM Government, in office for just two and a half years, we should ask the question, why are we not standing up and protect our main water source,” Dr. Drew told listeners.
He said he will want to be able to say to his grandchildren and their generation that “I did stand up to protect their future.”
Dr. Drew said further: “There is no need to risk the aquifer by building on it. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the existing BHS facilities.”
I will stand up and I am certain that others will stand up with me. If they do not stand up I am willing to go this one alone. Having read and analysed this thesis of Dr. Christmas and researched this information, I will not stand by and allow this government on the altar of politics to destroy our major water source which will have tremendous health, emotional, social and economic impact on this nation and the people for decades.”
Dr. Drew, a Cuban and U.S. trained physician and internist called on Prime Minister Harris to accept the reports from local scientists; the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Trinidad-based Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) and the Washington, DC-based National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which all recommended that the existing buildings of the BHS could be inhabited after remedial works are completed.
*This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKN PULSE. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical errors within press releases and (or) commentaries. The views contained within are not necessarily those of SKN PULSE.
