Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, May 10, 2025

BVI Cancer Society joins struggle against open burning @ Pockwood Pond

BVI Cancer Society joins struggle against open burning @ Pockwood Pond

Noting that individuals are fearing for their health, the BVI Cancer Society has joined the struggle to pressure the government to fix the issues of garbage and landfill fires at Pockwood Pond.

This comes after a handful of First District residents protested outside the House of Assembly while it was in session in Road Town yesterday, April 17, 2023.

“We, the BVI Cancer Society, are deeply saddened and distressed by the ongoing open burning situation that continues to affect our beloved residents in the Third District, and across the

entire Western End of Tortola. Our hearts are heavy with the knowledge that our fellow citizens are breathing in toxic fumes, and we cannot ignore the potential impact this may have on their health and well-being,” the Society stated in a press release late Monday, April 17, 2023.

A landfill fire at Pockwood Pond last night, April 17, 2023.



‘We cannot stand idly by while our people suffer’- BVI Cancer Society

It said it has received numerous calls from concerned residents, who fear for themselves and their families.

“They worry about the correlation between the harmful smoke and what appears to be a rising number of cancer cases in the area. As an advocate for health issues in the Territory, we cannot stand idly by while our people suffer.”

The BVI Cancer Society said it is resolute in its stance that this is a Territorial health concern and has implored the current and future governments to take this situation seriously and act swiftly to alleviate the distress of fellow citizens.

“We cannot ignore the very real consequences of this issue, as it impacts not only the health of our residents, but also the environmental health of our beautiful islands.”

Heartbreaking reports

The BVI Cancer Society also said during the past weekend it received heartbreaking reports of individuals struggling to breathe and feeling trapped by the relentless smoke in their homes.

“This is a clear indication that the situation has reached a critical level, and the time for change is now.

The BVI Cancer Society pledges to continue monitoring this issue and to keep it at the forefront of public awareness until tangible actions are taken to resolve it. The entire Territory deserves to live in a safe and healthy environment, and as an advocacy organisation the BVI Cancer Society is lending its voice by calling on the incoming government to commit to placing this health-compromising issue as a priority.”

The Society is calling on the government, community leaders, and citizens to join it in demanding an explanation as to why the incinerator remains in its current state.

Landfill fires are seen almost daily at Pockwood Pond.



Hon Penn apologises

Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) yesterday apologised to the people of the First District affected by the opening burning and promised to resolve the issues promptly.

The Health Minister also said the Government on Friday sent a cheque to get a control panel for the incinerator, which has been down since February 2021, due to a fire.

The Minister could not give a timeline as to when the issues of open burning would be resolved.

Landfill fires are seen almost daily at Pockwood Pond.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at ICE Facility Amid Congressional Visit
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Incident Reflection: A Harsh Reality Check
×