MP vows to clear debris from Causeway Fishing Village

Member of Parliament for St Catherine South East, Robert Miller, says the debris at the Causeway Fishing Village in his constituency will be removed this week.

Miller, contacted by THE STAR about the issue of garbage pile-up on the fishing beach, said he began facilitating the clean-up of the area shortly after Hurricane Beryl left debris scattered all over.

"Every time there is a lot of rain, there's a lot of debris that will fall into the fishing village," Miller said.

Fishermen last week complained bitterly about the state of the fishing beach which was littered with mounds of debris when this newspaper visited on Friday. The fishermen said that while efforts have been made to clean up the beach, more work was required.

"They came weekend and did some cleaning up but it's not sufficient," said one of the fishermen who gave his name as Bredda.

Another fisherman, Sheldon, voiced his relief at the limited help provided but noted its insufficiency.

"We nuh know the company name nor the man but we just glad for the little help," Sheldon said.

Meanwhile, Miller said the beach is being cleared by Linford Mining, which is undertaking the task "free of cost". He said that while the debris has put in heaps, additional equipment such as front-end loaders and trucks are required to do the removal.

"That will be done by next week," he assured.

The removal of the debris cannot come soon enough for the fishermen, after the passage of the Category 4 storm on July 3. The fishermen said the pollution had a devastating impact on the local fishing grounds, with Sheldon recalling how the debris blocked access to the water, stalling their ability to work. "Nothing could come in or go out, so we just started working again. It was terrible," he recounted.

Beyond the immediate issue of debris, Sheldon highlighted broader challenges the community faces due to their current location.

"Right here where they relocated us, we don't like it," Sheldon said, criticising the move from the original Causeway fishing village. They said the new site lacks beach access, limiting opportunities for visitors and local vendors.

"From day one, moving here was a bad decision because we're on the Dyke Road, and people don't like stopping on back roads," he said.

The fisherfolk previously occupied a facility near the Portmore Causeway.