Yallahs residents seek to reclaim river for domestic use

YALLAHS, St Thomas:

Miners in St Thomas are expected to be called to a meeting with the Ministry of Transport and Mining following a letter written by residents who say they are unable to use the Yallahs River for domestic purposes.

The letter, which was sent through the St Thomas Municipal Corporation to the ministry, resulted in a tour of the communities through which the river runs, including Islington and Mount Sinai.

The tour was led by Commissioner of Mines Roy Nicholson and his team from the Mines and Geology Division.

Speaking with The Gleaner, councillor for the Llandewey division, Edwin Marr, said the citizens of the area have been complaining about the issue for the last few years.

“I applaud the persons who put that letter together. To be honest, the domestic use of the Yallahs River has been completely wiped out because of the continuous mining of the quarry operators. I, too believe that citizens and miners should have access to the river for recreation and operation purposes, respectively,” he said.

Marr, who was also a part of the tour said he is pleased about the expected meeting, which he said is set for the first week of November, despite hoping for an earlier date.

FINDING BEST PRACTICES

During the meeting, the experts are expected to explore ways in which best practices are adopted by miners in St Thomas with regard to river training and contouring to ensure the free flow of water throughout its course.

Following the miners’ expected adherence to these instructions, Marr said he hopes the Yallahs River will return to its former glory.

“We are still hoping for the best where the river is concerned. I remember growing up we could go for a swim while our parents washed our clothes, or even for a little family or community picnic. All this have been depleted since mining in the area became popular,” he said, noting that there are some nine quarries operating from the Yallahs River.

He continued: “Even more than that is the fact that we now have water problems, and the river should be the residents’ alternative source right now. Sometimes they are out of water for up to two weeks so it’s really bad. I feel confident about the way forward and I’m expecting a result that will suit the residents’ concerns in the shortest possible time.”