Protest in Bog Walk over recent oil spills

Residents in Bog Walk, St Catherine, took to the streets on Monday to voice their discontent regarding two recent oil spills into the Rio Cobre. 

Users of the river, fisherfolks, recreational and domestic users, argue that their livelihoods have been impacted due to significant disruptions to their activities following the spills.

The National Environment Planning Agency (NEPA) issued a warning advising against river use until the spills, which occurred on December 11 and  December 15, are cleared.

Determined protesters marched from Bog Walk square to the main gate of Trade Winds Citrus Ltd, the entity identified by NEPA as responsible for the December 11 spill.

Their demand: compensation for the income losses incurred.

In response to the environmental infractions, NEPA served an enforcement notice to Trade Wind Citrus Limited, and informed the company that legal actions would ensue.

The community's mobilisation underscores the gravity of the situation with friends of the Rio Cobre president, Kestonard Gordon, who led the protest, calling for NEPA to impose an environmental performance bond on all the factories that operate near the Rio Cobre.

- Ruddy Mathison

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