Who will be held responsible for the improper dumping of human waste in Vava'u? Featured
Letter to the Editor
Who will be held responsible for the improper dumping of human waste in Vava'u?
Neiafu
Vava'u
14 May, 2019
Dear Editor,
The Government may be extremely embarrassed when the people of Vava’u become aware that the very Ministry responsible for protecting the environment is found guilty of dumping untreated septic tank waste into the mangroves and burning plastics at the Kalaka rubbish site in Vava’u.
This could become a global embarrassment for The Kingdom of Tonga and someone that is held accountable for the neglecting of their responsibility.
Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) is the Ministry responsible and Lucy Fa’anunu is the Officer in Charge in Vava'u.
It is estimated that there could be at least 60,000 litres of human waste improperly disposed of so far this year (20 weeks at 1 truck load per week) as well as regular burn offs of rubbish including plastics at the site.
Improper sewage disposal and burning of plastics is happening in Vava’u.
The sewage is flowing into the mangroves 250 metres form the local village of Okoa.
Other local villages that may be affected by this include, Mangia, Ta'anea, Ha'alaufuli, Koloa, Holeva, Houma and the village of Tu’anekivale.
How could the Ministry responsible for the environment in Vava’u allow this situation to continue for the past 6 months without taking urgent action?
Is the Ministry head office in Nuku’alofa aware of this unethical act?
The lagoon is a source of sea food for local villages who could now be at risk of illness from disease transmitted in human waste.
Potential Health Effects: Life-threatening human pathogens carried by sewage include cholera, typhoid and dysentery. Other diseases resulting from sewage contamination of water include schistosomiasis, hepatitis A, intestinal nematode infections, and numerous others.
The Ministry of Health should now take immediate action to review the operation at Kalaka. Water testing should be conducted and people warned if there is any risk to health.
The Ministry of MEIDECC especially the Vava’u Branch should be held accountable to the full extent of the law as any other citizen of Tonga would be.
Malo,
Vava'u Jewellery of the Pacific
1 comment
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This is a clear example of the central government callous indifference to the health of the people as a whole.How could the head not know what the hands are doing? There is no excuse whatsoever, that the people who are responsible for this blatant disregard for the well being of the villages affected could give to justify this outrageous act.They should all be dealt with severely. This debacle affect not only the government department responsible at Vavau , but also the .central government . It's amazing the number of idiots in positions of importance ????? Please don't say it was a mistake ! Burning plastic , don't be absurd.