Minister of Labor, Local Government, Rural Development, NEMO, Immigration & Nationality Services, Godwin Hulse, has responded to concerns raised by Corozal Southeast area representative for the People’s United Party, Florencio Marin, Jr., who has called for urgent attention to be given to the villages of Sarteneja and Chunox in Corozal.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Marin said that the villages of Sarteneja and Chunox are urgently in need of a reverse osmosis water system. The case of Chunox was more urgent, he said, because the water there is believed to be poisonous. Marin pointed to a family whose three children cannot walk, which, he said, was partly due to the poisoned water.

Hulse said that in five weeks, the Sarteneja problem should be solved. He said that pipes have already been installed in that village and a new reverse osmosis system is on order. The installation of the water system is being done through the Social Investment Fund (SIF).

As for the case of Chunox, where Marin said the water system has not been operational for a year, the minister indicated that the Rural Development department and SIF are working in collaboration to provide a new water system for that village. He said that he has no comment on the claim that the water is poisoned and causing medical problems in that village, because he does not have the facts. He did indicate that a study has been undertaken for Chunox. No timeframe was given within which the Chunox water problem would be solved.

Minister Hulse said that altogether, the ministry is preparing to build 15 new wells in critical areas of the country, and those will be installed between now and September.