LaPlaine Disaster Committee seeking a solution to the pollution from pig waste in the Taberi River

​La Plaine Disaster Preparedness Management Committee Chairman, Jason Fontaine, is lamenting what he describes as indiscriminate dumping of pig waste from a nearby pig farm, into the Taberi River in La Plaine. Fontaine is calling on authorities to find an “urgent solution” to end the pollution of the river.
 
He claims that the farm, which is located about 100 to 200 feet from the river, was not supposed to exceed four hundred (400) pigs, but now contains between 3,000 and 4,000 pigs, and when farm employees are bathing and feeding the pigs, the waste water from the hoses drains out into the river.
 
Fontaine says residents in the area rely on the river water in the event of natural disasters, for laundry, drinking water and cooking purposes, and would be seriously disadvantaged by the polluted water, which cannot be consumed because it now contains faeces, and scratches their body when they bathe in it.
 
It is also alleged that the waste is threatening the aquatic life in the area, and directly affects villagers’ livelihoods and culinary traditions involving fish from the river. He says the fish are dying and washing ashore. There is now no ‘Titiwi’ or Bouk’. The crawfish are dying. He adds that People sell Titiwi, and now they cannot get it. The water is infected, it is polluted. The Titiwi is not coming into the river, and the local community culinary traditions are suffering.
 
Fontaine argues that the polluted river is having a negative impact on tourism in La Plaine, particularly as a well-known hotel is located along the river.
 
He says tourists who come to the hotel in the area can smell the pig urine and pig feces in the polluted water, so they leave and go to other hotels.
 
He describes the situation as a disaster in the making, and contends that it is matter of national concern. He said that the appropriate authorities have long been contacted to no avail.
 
Fontaine says a public meeting will be held on Sunday, August 28, at 6:00pm at La Plaine, to address the matter.