Tonight a video is going viral - as it shows filthy water being pumped out at high pressure unto the beach at Seine Byte. Here's what the Facebook user posted:
Concerned Resident
"This is a snippet of what is occurring right now on the beach in Seine Bight. This dirty, muddy looking water is coming from the... and these are the children swimming as the muddy water is going into the ocean and not knowing what it contains. I came for a swim, but I think I will be cancelling because I dont know what is in this water. Look at the brown water flowing into the ocean while the children are swimming."
The allegation is that this is somehow related to the ongoing gas station project in the village but that could not be confirmed.
But, we do know that there is a bulwark of resistance to the project within the village. Last week Tuesday, we shared the views of Lavern Arzu, a member of the Seine Bight chapter of the National Garifuna Council. She was rejecting the gas station project - because the Garifuna residents claim that it is on a location where they conduct sacred cultural rites.
Their Area Rep., Rodwell Ferguson told us that based on a survey of the village, a vast majority of participants were in support of the development, but we continued to receive communication that suggests otherwise. On Thursday, the Garifuna National sent out a press release noting that the opposing villagers feel like their concerns are being ignored.
Their statement says, quote, "The village of Seine Bight has been involved in an ongoing dispute with a Developer by the name of Juan Carlos who wants to open a gas station in the middle of a residential neighborhood. From the beginning, the residents of the village have been clear. They do not object to the construction of a Gas Station in their village but that they objected to the location where it is being built."
They say that Ferguson committed to a one-month hold of the construction of the Gas Station at the site.
The Garifuna Nation insists that only 3 days after that agreement was made, residents noticed that the construction began once again. They interpret that as quote, "a slap in the face of our people and we are outraged at the broken promise", end quote.
Their press release goes on to say that if the developer insists on continuing villagers will seek his eviction "permanently as a personae non-gratia". They will boycott his business, and they will conduct sustained protests. They are warning that he is being given 1 final opportunity to dialog and keep his promise to the villagers to cease and desist from the construction of the gas station at that current location.
And that's not the only gas station controversy on the peninsula, as there is a proposal to build 2 other gas stations in the tiny village.
