THE HAGUE - State Secretary Annet Bertram of Infrastructure and Water Management will travel tomorrow, Friday 28 August, to Bonaire to discuss the precarious situation surrounding the Selibon Lagun landfill. The landfill poses a serious threat to the health of local residents and the environment on the island.
Bertram will visit the landfill herself and will meet with Stichting Pro Lagun, the advocacy organisation representing local residents. They have been concerned for some time about the impact of the situation on their daily lives.
The State Secretary will then hold consultations with the island governor, the executive council and waste processor Selibon on concrete solutions. Central to the discussions is the question of what role the various parties, both in the European Netherlands and on Bonaire, must play in achieving a structural approach.
The Public Entity Bonaire and Selibon have already taken steps in recent months, including in cooperation with the national government. However, the cabinet acknowledges that this is not enough. "More measures are needed to reach a structural solution", according to the ministry.
As a concrete outcome of the visit, Bertram will give the symbolic kick-off for a new monitoring network. Specialised measuring equipment will henceforth accurately map the consequences of the landfill for local residents and the environment.
