Health and environment concerns arise amidst a farmer’s attempt to secure his livestock

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By Elesha George

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The remnants of Tropical Storm Philippe were still evident a day after the storm had left the area, witnessed by the waterlogged streets and backyards along the Freetown Village highway.

Located just a stone’s throw away from essential community facilities, including a local clinic, the Freetown Primary School, and a bus shed, the historic Country Pond was filled to capacity but was not as pristine as it usually is, remarked community activist, Brenda Odlum.

Less than a day after the storm, she noticed the brownish colour of the water body and faeces floating above the water. The dung she surmised had washed into the pond from a pen adjacent to it. The rains had also carried burnt wood which was on the land.

The pen belongs to livestock farmer Emmanuel Payne, and had been erected a few years ago for him to raise some of his goats and sheep.

He explained to Observer his decision to build the pen on his private property, citing a rising number of thefts targeting his animals. “I have my animals on there for my security because people thief them all the time. Even right there [on the road side] they thief them from right there,” he said.

“Government don’t have lands to give nobody, so my animals and them are going to be right there until when [I get a different solution],” he added.

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Freetown Country Pond one day after the passage of Tropical Storm Philippe (Photo by Elesha George)

However, for residents living in close proximity to the enclosure, the situation is far from acceptable. One neighbour, who resides directly downwind of the pen, has complained about the overpowering stench.

“You can smell it now?” she questioned, as we stood outside her home, not too far from Payne’s pen.

She and others in the community have grown increasingly frustrated with his apparent disregard for their concerns, as he maintains that the smell is not strong enough to affect those around him.

Payne himself lives further inside the village, away from the enclosure he has erected. This has led to accusations of him being disconnected from the negative impact it has on his neighbours.

On weekends and special holidays, the community hosts barbeques in the area that transforms into a tourist site and social activity hub. “People don’t stay to eat anymore because of the scent,” remarked one of the vendors as he passed by hurriedly.

It is also a popular fishing spot for residents who live outside of Freetown.

Odlum, who is also a former Director Community Development Division (CDD) and advisor to Freetown Community Group (FCG), said the area which includes land near the pond has been designated for the Peace Park Livelihood Project, sponsored by Regional Biodiversity Funding Agencies, including Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

Tourists, particularly those headed to Nonsuch Bay Resort a drive away, are sometimes given a tour of the area that houses the first church in the village. The erection of a Freetown Museum is also under construction nearby. 

Importantly, the pond is the largest water catchment in Freetown and feeds five other ponds from its overflows — Charlotte, Leslie Walker, Daniel, Marilyn and ColeBrooks Ponds.

Odlum said the community group now runs the risk of losing financing for the project which is meant to beautify the area and preserve its rich history.

According to Odlum, the pen’s existence also poses a major health risk, can cause loss of livelihood for vendors, deplete the pond’s flora and fauna, and amplifies the potential for outbreaks of mosquito borne diseases like dengue.

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Native birds swimming in the pond

“This water is contaminated now – and it’s going to be worse because the animals are there – those for him [Payne] and the others that are let go for the other farmers,” she noted.

“My major concern is that the area has been earmarked as a project site … we have been working with the Ministry of Social Transformation, the Department of Environment and the Tourism [Department]. Freetown is one of five communities that have received grants to create community tourism initiatives. 

When the pond overflows, the run off enters the backyards of neighbours and causes waterlog conditions on the streets near it. This means that when animal dung gets into the pond, it can spread through nearby sites including the back of the local clinic where water is waterlogged.

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Brenda Odlum at Body Pond, Antigua (Photo courtesy Brenda Odlum)

After several years of trying to reason with Payne and seeking assistance from the Development Control Authority and the former parliamentary representative, Odlum says a permanent solution has to be found.

“We don’t want to be held ransom by the livestock owners in the community. We want to work with the livestock authority to help them to get a place where their animals can be safe and they can feel comfortable and everybody can live happy,” Odlum explained.

She said Payne is not the only farmer who the community has had issues with. The animals of other farmers have traversed onto private property, defecated and caused nuisance.

Odlum said residents in the new extension of Freetown have an ongoing petition for local authorities to find solutions to the stray animal situation.

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Residents hang out during one of their weekend activities (Photo courtesy Brenda Odlum)

“We need citizens to share that responsibility because it’s not only the Freetown Community Group, it’s not only because it is a beautification and a tourism project, it is empowering our people,” she remarked.

The community group is also planning an education campaign to share the importance of the area with villagers.

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