As a first step, a $10 million project is now underway at the dump site in Jimmit, just about five miles from the capital city of Roseau. The project is being undertaken under the PetroCaribe initiative and is being funded entirely by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The intention is to remove about 20,000 tonnes of ferrous garbage from three acres of land around the Jimmit site and 1.5 metres beneath the surface of the sea close to the shoreline. To date over 4000 tonnes of ferrous garbage have been removed from the area. This dump site at Jimmit has been an
eyesore and a blight on the community for over 10 years.
The massive clean-up which started about three weeks ago is expected to be completed in about three weeks. All the material are being transported to the sanitary landfill at Fond Cole where they will be compacted and shipped out of the country. Following the clearing-up of the Jimmit site, all derelict vehicles throughout the country will also be collected, compacted and shipped out of Dominica.
Speaking to the media at the site on Monday, Minister with responsibility for PetroCaribe, Hon. Reginald Austrie described the day as an “historic day” for Dominica.
” What we are witnessing here this morning is one of the largest and biggest environmental clean-up projects that has ever taken place in Dominica,” Hon. Austrie stated.
According to Minister for National Security and Parliamentary Representative for the Jimmit area, Hon. Rayburn Blackmoore, the intention is to transform the old dump site into a park with sporting and recreational facilities. It is envisaged that the new multi-purpose park will link to the nearby Rodney’s Rock facility via a boardwalk.
Both Minister Austrie and Minister Blackmoore expressed their gratitude to the Venezuelan Government for its continued interest in the development of Dominica.
General Manager of PDV Caribe Dominica Ltd, Mr. Francisco Gonzalez, said that the project is part
“of our commitment to the environment. PDVSA has a strong responsibility with the community and the cleaning up of the environment”.
