Penn Criticises Unused Long Swamp Sewage Station
Marlon Penn Opposition Leader Marlon Penn has blasted the government over its failure to connect households to the Long Swamp sewage pumping station, despite celebrating the facility as a major achievement earlier this year.
Marlon Penn Opposition Leader Marlon Penn has blasted the government over its failure to connect households to the Long Swamp sewage pumping station, despite celebrating the facility as a major achievement earlier this year. Speaking on the NDP radio programme, Penn questioned the government’s ability to execute projects, claiming that not a single household has been connected to the station, which is intended to transport sewage from East End and Long Look to the treatment plant at Paraquita Bay. “Ask the minister how many persons have been connected to that transfer station to send the sewage from that station to Paraquita Bay where the sewage treatment plant is.
Not one person has been connected,” Penn stated. “It’s about a plan. It’s about the inability to be able to execute,” he added. The criticism comes after Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley and Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer publicly celebrated the station’s commissioning in February 2026.
At the ceremony, Dr Wheatley declared that the project demonstrated his administration was delivering on promises to residents after decades of delays. “Today’s commissioning is proof that we are keeping that promise,” the Premier declared. Rymer also celebrated the achievement, telling residents the government was taking decisive action to eliminate longstanding sewage problems in their communities.
However, the government acknowledged at the time that household connections and additional testing were still required before the system could operate fully. Residents have been offered free household connections if they register before December 31, 2026. Penn is now demanding answers about the delays. “Let’s get the homes connected.
What is the hold-up to getting the homes connected?”
Primary source: BVI News