B.S.I. Says It is Living Up to Its Commitment to the Community
Shawn Chavarria
With its latest upgrades, which also include the water cooling system that was commissioned at the start of the sugar crop, will B.S.I. be able to shake off the negative public perception that it has garnered over the years? The company has been accused on numerous occasions of being one of the main water and air pollutants in the district. That question was put to Shawn Chavarria, the Director of Finance at A.S.R./B.S.I.
Shawn Chavarria, Director of Finance, A.S.R./B.S.I.
“That is why you have laws and regulations. That is the importance of when we did this project we had to ensure that we do it right. So, we had to get the engineering correct. We had to get the design correct. That was reviewed by the Department of the Environment. We have performance guarantees as well to say that look this new system will ensure that you meet the regulations. So, we are confident that with the investment we put in that matter was addressed. If there are lingering issues, that is where DOE will have to come in to say what other contributing factors might be affecting that community. Not far away is the municipal dump site. So, that will be an area they will have to look at. So, that will, just like the New River will have to be something that is a continuous improvement, involving the DOE, involving the community as well. It is the hope that with the visibility of what you see today, you would have seen the comparison of the two emission systems, the old and the new; visibly you will see a major difference. It is really a white plume going out which shows that the air is clean. From that stand point, we really hope that the community will see this as a positive step in the right direction. When we do the second phase really it is a culmination of a commitment we made to the community, including the Chan Pine Ridge Community who we invited here before and we committed to them by this year we would get it done. So, we are living up to that commitment.”
