Submitted by Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary
[Christ Church, BARBADOS Dec. 15, 2009] The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) cut water service to the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary last week without warning, sending Sanctuary workers scrambling to implement the Sanctuary’s Emergency Management Plan. At stake was the health and welfare of the endangered and captive bird populations in the captive breeding facility, and the Marshland, Gully and Migratory Aviary Exhibits.
BWA apparently shut off the water over a sewerage billing discrepancy. However, Sanctuary officials insist that they repeatedly made good faith requests to the BWA for a review of Sanctuary sewerage charges, and that water and sewerage billings were being paid pending that outcome.
“They never even talked to us about the merits of our requests, they just locked down our water valve and actually cut our main pipeline,” said one official at the Sanctuary. “We had to carry clean water from our homes to take care of the birds, and use emergency pumps and hoses from our water tanks to maintain the Aviary systems.”
The official said that the Sanctuary is fully aware of the conventional BWA billing structure for use of the South Coast Sewerage system, but that it applies mostly to residences and business enterprises.
“We always pay our bills,” said Peter Allard, owner of the Sanctuary. “For years we have been formally requesting good faith review and assistance from the BWA for for a bona-fide discrepancy and they haven’t replied except to come and chop our fresh water pipe.”
For billing purposes BWA calculates that most customers discharge more than 65% of their water supply into the sewer. The core of the $37,000 dispute revolves around the fact that the Sanctuary recycles most of its water, discharging only about 5% of of its total water supply. The vast majority of water used by the large Aviary ponds never reaches the sewer system as it is recycled for irrigation.
The relatively small portion of water actually discharged into the sewer comes from the employee bathrooms and aviary food prep kitchen. Only eight (8) employees remain at the Sanctuary who maintain the captive bird population and grounds since the Sanctuary closed to the general public one year ago.
The Sanctuary has had a long history of cooperation with the BWA during construction of the South Coast Sewerage Treatment Plant. Despite major disruption to Sanctuary operations for years, BWA contractors used the Sanctuary for a construction staging area, and were allowed to dump hundreds of truckloads of contaminated clay soil onto Sanctuary property to help the BWA save money on long-distance trucking charges. These resources were given to the BWA and its contractors free of charge.
Allard has recently made formal allegations that the BWA illegally dumped tens of thousands of gallons of raw sewage into the wetland instead of using the approved emergency sewerage discharge structure at Worthing Beach, allegedly violating international environmental treaty conditions and Barbados’ environmental protection laws.
Late last week after strong protests from the Sanctuary, BWA workers repaired the water pipe and reconnected the water supply. Sanctuary officials indicated that the dispute with BWA continues and that they do not know if or when the water supply will be cut off again.
Since 1994 Mr. Allard has invested more than $35 million (US) in the 35-acre Sanctuary to preserve the last significant mangrove woodland and wetland on the island.
Barbados Underground 
@Peter Allard
Barbadian citizens who dispute bills usually do so full in the knowledge they are expected to pay full amount while the dispute process is ongoing. It would be useful to know the details of the dispute to get a feel if there is more to the mortar than pestle. The ongoing battle between GHNS (Allard)/Nelson Barbados and successive governments makes us very weary.
“The ongoing battle between GHNS (Allard)/Nelson Barbados and successive governments makes us very weary.”
Which “us” are you referring to David?
GHNS, I’m sure you realize full well that this is just another tactic to slowly wear away your legal rights. If you are not already aware of what happened to Nitin Amersey, you would do well to read up on it.
@ Peter Allard
I have more sympathy for the lady in Black Rock who was recently saddled with a bill for $20,000 as it seems monies owing to the BWA is entailed on future owners of property.
As a billionaire (supposedly) pay up and then fight you battles. The poor people do it this way, not even knowing where the next meal is going to come from.
@Anonymous (2)
Us = Barbadians who have been following this mess.
What is it with the Allard/Loveridge clan?
Loveridge complains in the blogs if his Sunday newspapers are late and now Allard complains about having to undergo the same process as all we Bajans. Well, if they don’t like it, why not move to another country?
I am completely out of sympathy with Allard. He has done his best to try to bring Barbados into disrepute abroad and to negatively impact the well-being of Bajans and Barbados by persuading tourists and investors to stay away from Barbados.
That Allard has failed dismally does not seem to have got through to him. It seems to me that this spoiled brat has no concept of the odium and contempt in which he is held in international business circles.
Worse, he thinks that we Bajans are a bunch of ignorant, ill-educated savages in need of his superior intellect and guidance.
Meanwhile, the Allard family corporation, Allarcom, is under court-ordered financial protection in Canada. And guess what? Guess who is named in the Order? The Allard boys. Pete and Chuck.
So it looks like we Bajans are not so stupid after all.
Let us hope our brothers and sisters in Dominica know what is going down here, because you see I believe that the abortive attack posted here on BU against Hartley Henry was Allard-inspired cause he don’t like the way the elections there going and you know he has interests in Dominica as well. Think BFP. That attack on Hartley had all the same hallmarks.
But, Pete, you better watch your step in Dominica. They not poor peaceful and polite like we Bajans. Them will mash yuh to sh*** up.
and the plot thickens.
Perhaps Prime Minister Thompson can use the current conflict with Allard to appreciate the dangers of using philanthropy in a country where FOI and integrity rules are absent.
@David. Yes, FOI needs to be speeded up.
Anon // December 16, 2009 at 4:45 AM
What is it with the Allard/Loveridge clan?
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Up here we call it the “white male superiority complex”. They go into hysterics if they dont get their own way. Therapy is highly recommended.
Pat // December 16, 2009 at 3:51 PM. I think you got it right, girl.
We forgot to mention BU edited the title of the press statement which read Barbados Government Cuts Water Service
to Graeme Hall Sanctuary at submission.
@David
I mean, this is just too much. No body reads Allard’s blogs (BFP and Keltruth) so he comes sneaking in to BU to use the large BU readership in order to advance his agenda of hate and degredation against the country and people who would not bend their laws and customs to his dictate, who would not bow to his whims (and that of his yardfowls Madge Knox, Heaslett, Loveridge – I would mention the Knox children, but they ain’t nothing). BUT….yet continues to provide him with a safe and secure home in a tax haven. He is an ungrateful piece of garbage.
Why has BFP not carried this “report” from its lord and master?
I reflect that there are major names with FAR more money than the Allard family’s embattled Allarcom who come and invest in Barbados. You just need to look at Sandy Lane and environs. These people, without fuss or fanfare, have contributed mightily to the well-being of Barbados in far greater amounts than the paltry (and I will take a bet, vastly inflated – read doubled – US$35 million Allard is claiming).
Some, like Allard, have started buinesses that have failed – and have they cried and sued? Hell no.
It is all a question of broughupsy. Clearly Pete has none. His parents may have been rich, but they knew diddley squat about teaching children proper values in life.
I can see them now in their childhood, swanning around Western Canada with all the natives bowing and scraping to them. I suspect that one day Pete discovered that the Canadians were no longer willing to bow and scrape, unless he handed them a lot of money. So, since bowing and scraping is as food and drink to little Pete, he thought that he would come to Barbados where his dollars might buy more bowing and scraping than in Canada. Of course, he has a back-up. Dominica.
Mr. Allard, it will not work in EITHER country. Both were looking after themselves when Canada was the frozen North, with no inhabitants – or very few.
I rely on our friend Hartley to see him stitched up in Dominica. The Dominicans are not nearly so law-abiding as us Bajans.
Anon,
Please for the sake of the people you criticise, name ANY ten things YOU have done to help improve this country?
You keep trying to put people into rigid
boxes and cannot seem to understand that some of us can think for ourselves without being a member of a political party.
Is it just because you feel so inadequate?
Go on! suprise us all, do something constructive and make a meaningful contribution.
Anon and sidekick Pat, are the two of you not even slightly embarrassed by your never ending childish attacks on successful people in Barbados? Have you not yet noticed that with the exception of Pat, who is your lapdog, these threads get almost no comments? Anon aka BWWR aka whothehellknows some shitehound political lackey, get down off your high horse and stop pretending that you represent all the Bajans out there, who annointed you?
“He has done his best to try to bring Barbados into disrepute abroad and to negatively impact the well-being of Bajans and Barbados by persuading tourists and investors to stay away from Barbados.” What a pile of crap. There are many reasons why tourists and investors are staying away from Barbados and here are just some: Crime and an Ineffective Police Force, Racism against White Tourists, Fraud and Corruption within both the private and Public Sector, Everything too phacking expensive and plenty of other less expensive sunny, warm destinations with much friendlier people, last but not least………. people LIKE YOU drive tourists and business away from Barbados.
Anon,
You claim that no one reads Allard’s blogs BFP and Keltruth. (You forgot to mention the father and son Bourne Administrators). I think you’re wrong – people read them, but a lot of the “old timers” (not necessarily in terms of age), with class, such as Bush Tea and Yardbroom seldom, if ever, contribute, possibly because of the vindictiveness, spite and hatred displayed there, and the utter crap and lies one has to read.
What concerns me most is that in between all the wrangling between Allard – who we know wants to dictate to the Barbados Government – and the Government itself, no one seems to be caring about the real issue, which is the maintenance and continuance of the Graeme Hall Sanctuary. All we hear is a lot of talk (and for God’s sake, Mr. Prime Minister, PLEASE – pretty PLEASE – dump that idiot and traitor, Dr. Denis Lowe) about how Graeme Hall is to be re-opened. Yeah. Right. ITAL is in the works too, and coming soon. Yeah. Right. Well, so is X’mas. From the way things are going, the beautiful wildlife species at GH may all be dead before matters are settled. Stop the talk and get on with the action, and to hell with Allard.
If Barbadians were educated to the nuances of this case it might promote interest. The media in Barbados has imposed a blackout on this story, even Pat Hoyos who started off hot and sweaty has turned his back on the story. Barbadians must ask why!
BU family members have labelled this matter a family squabble; BU disagrees. There are other implications for Barbados, as always Barbadians tend to react added to the fact the Nelson, Kingsland, GHNS is a difficult story to follow if you missed out from the beginning. We do agree with you GHE, it is time the parties reallocate the tremendous resources they are expending in the courts and try to redirect to people in need. What is happening here is a travesty.
On the subject of interest, there is interest based on what we see added to the fact BU has become a source of reference for those closely connected to this matter.
@David. Agreed completely!!! @GHE. Ditto. Right on target!!!!!
Technician, my friend, you are not the only one who is good at shaking the bats (sorry, make that Batman and Robin – like hell) out of the Bat Cave. Whuloss!!!! I think I got Dracula and Vampira – and of course Peter “Lestat” Allard. Whuloss x 35 million!!!!!!!!!!!!
Genesis // December 17, 2009 at 6:41 AM
Anon and sidekick Pat, are the two of you not even slightly embarrassed by your never ending childish attacks on successful people in Barbados?
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Wow. First and foremost Mister Man, I am nobody’s sidekick. I doan even no wuh day wurd mean.
However, you should find something more factual to talk about. I know lots of successful Bajans. I mean know, personally. I dont as you call it attack them. Know why? They are decent, honest, HARD WORKING, upright folks, who want and strive to do the best for and by Barbados.
Nuff said! Now, go back to your cave!!
@Pat. Go girl.
@Loveridge aka Vampira. You got to be a blasted fool. I know what I done for Barbados and I don’t got to enumerate or explain or describe – I leave that to people who want you to know whu they SAY they do so they can try to hold it over we head. I born here. I not some sneaking ex patriot who does fight to get he nose in every sh*** – and then get my ass fired the sh*** out by them. Best of all, I don’t got to suck up to no Allard. If you go to auto correct, the alternative is “Mallard”. So, quack quack, Loveridge. Pretend it is your drake calling. Get back in you blasted cave, do.
@ Anon
Yuh tell ‘e. ha ha ha!
But, the silence from BFP and Keltruth on the subject of Graeme Hall/Peter Allard’s waterworks is DEAFENING.
And I must agree with Anon. With the almost zero comments on BFP (and the usual zero on Keltruth) it does indeed look as if Mr. Allard (who I can only think of as “Little Peter” – in more ways than one) is attempting to annex BU (which has become the reference source for Canadian legal professionals following his meritless cases) to try to propogate his message (or, more correctly, the “Little Peter Disinformation Service”).
He want we to think he is a BIG Peter, inter alia.
So, Little Peter is using his time-dishonoured (and not too successful) strategy of “if you don’t own it, try and take it over.”
Never mind, Little Peter/Lestat, there are plastic devices these days (I am told) that, with the simple use of pumped air, can make you (it) grow. The old-fashioned remedy of exposing yourself to the rain and elements (in your case, on Long Beach) do not work except on plants, as you have now had abundant cause to know.
And if my friend Anon is correct and you are Lestat and your teeth need replacing, just go and borrow a set from your friend Madge.
You know, @David and @Pat, it is a very important reflection that a man can work all his life and make a fortune to leave to his family so they will be comfortable and well placed in life – but some times the people who inherit are such blasted fools that the dear departed would have done better to have used his/her time enjoying life and just letting the inheritors find their correct level in life – under rocks and sewers, in sand and other dunes on Long Beach and behind UPS drop boxes.
@ Amused
I guess Allard and his gang of merry losers will not lump you in with Anon and myself. Welcome to the club of strong backed, loyal, straight talking and patriotic Bajans.
@ Amused
We the BU loyalists dont visit those two so-called blogs. Nothing over there of interest to us.
@Pat. So, if they lump me in, they lump me in. At least it is with good company.
@Anon. Ditto.