On Tuesday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Barbuda Affairs (MAFBA) after several months of impediments restarted its pond cleaning program and commenced work on the Country Pond.
A few weeks prior to this MAFBA received a request from the Seventh Day Adventist School (SDA) concerning a similar matter.
They were seeking assistance with the clearing and cleaning of a pond and its surrounding area located on the school’s farm.
The cultivated plots on that farm encompassed the pond and this made it ideal for irrigation in the past the pond was the main source of their water supply.
On Thursday, the SDA request was granted and the MAFBA response was well received with much delight.
“Thank God, I am so happy for this assistance”, said Mrs. Yonette Patrick, Agriscience and Building tech teacher. It was the agreement and understanding that MAFBA in collaboration with the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) would commence the work by the removal of the unwanted trees and materials surrounding the pond.
The removed debris was transported to the Country Pond and was used to build a ramp for the long boom excavator which was and is still presently cleaning the pond. According to Alvin Christian, MAFBA consultant, entering the pond from the east would make access and the cleaning easier and more practical than from the north, west, or south sides. “The ramp will give access further into the pond for the removal of the invasive Cattail grass”, Christian said.
The Cattail can be considered invasive because of their rapid growth and ability to smother other plants in the same environment and it is observed that several of our ponds are being taken over by this grass.
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However, on the positive side, the Cattail can be used to make usable items such as pillows, torches, and mats, and some species are edible.
It is anticipated that upon the completion of Country Pond the SDA pond would be next.
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