PO Box 34
The Valley
Anguilla, B.W.I.His Excellency Governor Tim Foy AND Honourable Evans M. Rogers
Governor’s House Ministry of Health
Old Ta The Valley
Anguilla Anguilla
April 14, 2020
His Excellency and the Honourable Minister
Re: Corito Landfill
I trust that you had a blessed Easter Monday. Unfortunately, our holiday was once again ruined for many of us in Long Ground, and surrounding areas, by the sweet smell of rotten garbage permeating our homes. As I am typing this letter my nose and mouth are filled with the stench of rotten garbage hours after the garbage truck left the landfill! Masks were mandatory here long before the COVID-19 virus.
A little history for those that may have forgotten or may have not been aware of the nightmare of a fly infestation from the landfill that we had for 7 ½ years. At times the flies went island wide. This epidemic lasted from September 2012 to January 2020. Thousands of complaints were made to Environmental Health and to many Ministers of Government. My family was only able to visit three times in 7 ½ years for a week; and for the week of their visit Environmental Health promised to spray the landfill so their visit could be comfortable. Imagine that for the rest of the time we dealt with the filth of household flies practically on a daily basis. For those of you who wish to see a video showing the fly infestation in my home try using YouTube and type in Anguilla FLY Infestation.
Fast forward to January 2020, a miracle happened and the Governor’s Office came to our rescue and simply demanded that the contractor of the dump place marl/dirt on top of the garbage. Bingo, barely a fly in sight. Well, we have had a few this Easter because of the lack of coverage but I am not sure which is more harmful – the fly infestation or the smell of rotten trash. Now that our nightmare of the fly infestation is over, I felt blessed that sickness did not come upon me as I was exposed to fly filth and noxious chemicals for years. My blessings were short lived.
The nightmare continues once again. Numerous complaints have been made to Environmental Health and the Governor’s Office. The landfill operator began using a machine that quadrupled the smell of rotten garbage. This enormous machine rolled over the garbage. As it rolled the smell became atrocious. Run for your life smell. The noise was excruciating. Once again the Governor’s Office asked the landfill operator to use the machine at night. This still has not helped eliminate the rotten smell of garbage. While typing this letter yet another garbage truck arrived and the smell is atrocious. I have now put on one of my masks to finish this letter. You see our landfill was deemed full by a report in 2004. This is Anguilla’s dirty little secret. So we endured a fly infestation for 7 ½ years because the landfill was deemed full and had run out of marl/dirt – and not one person, before the Governor, offered to help fix the problem.
The problem of the overflowing, busting at the seams landfill has not been resolved. Temporary or band-aid ideas have not even remotely addressed the problem. We urgently need expert advice for this environmental hazard. Everyone has continued to ignore the landfill problem. The Government continues to make us suffer. We pay taxes and own our homes otherwise we would have relocated long time ago. Imagine not welcoming any family or friends to your home in 7 ½ years? My neighbour has NEVER had company! My nephew was to arrive this Easter and I am so thankful that he was unable to come visit my home. Instead of enjoying the fresh Caribbean breeze he would have been inhaling the sweet smell of rotten garbage.
We are waiting for assistance from the UK to fix this environmental hazard. In the meantime, the landfill operator is now trying to extend the dump westward toward our residential area. Unfortunately, we are downwind of this activity and now endure the obnoxious smells and deafening noises of heavy equipment coming from the landfill. All machinery and equipment drivers are in full view of our village as they move the household trash westward. Remember we never smelled trash or saw trash during the previous 7 ½ years. Must we wear a respirator to venture outside? What are the health ramifications of now breathing in noxious odors and gases? Why isn’t the Government helping with this situation??? God help us if we have more COVID-19 tissues in the landfill.
I am again asking for urgent assistance in this health crisis. An expert and permanent solution must be attained to deal with our full landfill.
Respectfully,
Amy Williams
Long Ground
