Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson sits in the cabin of this backhoe during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Soapberry Sewerage Project in St. Catherine, yesterday. Standing at the side of the backhoe is Donald Buchanan, Minister of Water and Housing, while a project crewman assists the Prime Minister. The project, billed at US$50.5 million, will directly employ 150 persons. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:
THE SOAPBERRY Sewerage Plant project which, in its initial stage, will treat waste in the metropolitan area, officially got off the ground yesterday morning. On completion, it will eventually have a capacity to manage 20 million to 80 million gallons of waste per day.
The Prime Minister, speaking onsite in Portmore, told the gathering that the treatment plant has been in his plans since he was the Minister of Development, and was one of his most heartfelt achievements.
Mr. Patterson implored the workers to take charge of the plant and maintain its environmentally-friendly status. He also said that, with the disposal of raw sewage posing a problem in the metropolitan area, the programme could not have come on stream at a better time.
In his address, Portmore Mayor George Lee, said he was only disappointed that Portmore was not to benefit from the initial phase of the plant in August 2007.
Project engineer Lawrence Neil told The Gleaner that the project commenced in June 2005 but was delayed by last year's hurricanes. He said plans were well advanced for the formation of oxygenation ponds to contain the sewage which will be treated. The effluent discharge will be used for irrigation purposes.
