Nibbs Rejects Sand-mining Resumption Proposal

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Thursday, 28 June 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St John's - Barbuda Council Member Senator Arthur Nibbs says the indicated position of the Barbuda Council Chairman Calvin Punter that the sister-isle could soon be returning to sand mining in order to cushion heavy-hitting financial challenges, is as unsurprising as it going to be damaging.

Punter had said in local news reports that considering the financial constraints of the Barbuda Council, the move might be a necessary evil in order to keep the island above water.

But Nibbs, who declared that the decision is not a unanimous one, said he had suspected since the decision to stop sand mining after almost four decades was taken that it would be short-lived, judging from the body language of the council members on the government side.

“It is about more than funds now. We should be prepared to make that sacrifice (to uphold the ban on sand mining). The place has been completely devastated by sand mining and I don't think that we should make any attempt (at going back into sand mining) even if it means that people can’t eat bread,” Nibbs said plainly.

He went further to note that the act continues to expose Barbuda to “serious, serious dangers” in terms of the weather and the possibility of storm surges and other devastations that could flood the entire mining area and ultimately overwhelm the drainage system in the neighboring village.

“I think they are just squeezing that back in because funds are tight. That is not a unanimous decision,” Nibbs reiterated.

The Barbuda Council is said to owe over EC$40,000 to the mining company there and part of the rationale given by the Punter is to pay off that money through a resumption of the excavations.

The chairman had opined that an alternative to this would be ideal but if such cannot be found then the council and by extension the island would have to “bite the bullet” and resume the activity.

Nibbs believes that approach is counter-productive, since “The more they (the mining company) are allowed to mine the deeper the debt goes.” He said the company is being paid some EC$4 per ton of sand worked on.

“It is better off finding an alternative to clear the debt than continue to mine. Every single time they (the mining company) excavate, they are incurring a debt (for) you as a council. So, you are not going to come out of that debt if that is the rationale he (Punter) is giving.”

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