Petit-Goâve, November 6, 2025.– Guest on Magik9 this Thursday, the former Minister of the Environment, Abner September, fired the alarm bell on the ecological degradation of Petit-Goâve, seriously affected by the passing of Hurricane Melissa (43 dead, including 25 in the commune). He pointed to anthropogenic pressures, anarchic constructions and the abuse of sand as the main causes of environmental vulnerability. According to him, the disaster could have been avoided if the authorities and the population had acted in time.
The human and material damage caused by Hurricane Melissa continues to be highly debated. On the Magik9, Abner September denounced a situation « foreseeable », the result of years of poor environmental management.
The causes of the floods in Petit-Goâve are many: « It's in the dike that we dump the waste. It's an environmental disaster. The water level is now higher than the edge of the bridge », he explained. He also deplored the exploitation of sand mines, the lack of curing since 1996, and the lack of sustainable bank strengthening. He added that these practices significantly promote river bed and water level rise, increasing the risk of flooding.
Mr. September estimated that the severity of the human balance could have been mitigated « if the inhabitants had agreed to move » and « whether the authorities had imposed stronger measures ». It calls for an urgent review of public policies and warns against superficial solutions: « Building a bridge without treating causes amounts to throwing money out the windows. »
Finally, Abner September invited public and community actors to assume their responsibilities to prevent other regions from experiencing the same fate as Petit-Goâve.
W.A.
