…And who gave it permission to dredge
Former Hopkins Chairman, Mario Augustine also charged that dredging to create manmade canals is causing erosion and is detrimental to the fish population in the area. But Theo Jansen disagrees and went on to say that it was the Area Representative, Melvin Hulse, who instructed the company to dredge the lagoon.
Theo Jansen, General Manager, Hopkins Harbour Dev. Ltd.
“We were instructed by government and we got permits to open up the lagoon because in terms of the rainy season and in terms of the flood we had last year, if that lagoon rises with some rains there will be flooding in the village. We were asked to open it and we applied for permits and we had permits to that. And Geology was here last week and are in total agreement with what we have done.”
Marion Ali
“But according to the chairman of the board, Mr. Augustine, the dredging is now affecting the fishing industry in that area.”
Theo Jansen
“I think he’s just making a statement.”
Marion Ali
“And it’s not factual?”
Theo Jansen
“I don’t think so.”
Marion Ali
“What do you have to say about the fishing industry?”
Theo Jansen
“We have a huge protection programme in terms of the fishing industry and in terms of other issues related to fishing. I don’t want to comment on what the effect of that is in terms of what they are stating but government in terms of flood problems have asked us to open up the mouth. We only opened a thin channel, which quite frankly closed in three days and we have been asked to please open the channel again to make sure that we don’t have a flooding problem.”
Marion Ali
“But is the dredging a part of your project aside from what you claim government asked you to do?”
Theo Jansen
“The dredging has got nothing to do with our project.”
News Five tried to reach the Chief Environmental Officer, Martin Alegria, to find out how a public graveyard came into private hands and the effects of the dredging but we understand that he will be out of office for this week. We also tried to reach the current Hopkins Village Council Chairman, Francis Lewis, but no one was answering the office phone.
