WILLEMSTAD – Former parliamentarian Elvin Gerard spoke out on behalf of residents of the Rondeklip neighborhood, drawing urgent attention to an ongoing problem with an illegal waste dump. The issue has already prompted visits from police and officials from the Ministries of Spatial Planning, Infrastructure and Environment (VVRP) and Health, Environment and Nature. 

Residents of Rondeklip have raised the alarm, expressing that the situation has become unbearable. Unknown individuals have occupied government land where they are dumping and burning waste. A particularly concerning feature is an underground furnace that is continuously burning trash, producing thick smoke that severely affects the local air quality. 

According to Gerard, residents have been forced to keep their windows closed to avoid the smoke, and some have even fallen ill as a result. 

Representatives from the involved agencies, including the community group Plataforma Banda Riba, will meet with government officials to discuss possible solutions to address the problem. Reports from Extra indicate that several other illegal dumping sites exist across Curaçao, highlighting a broader environmental challenge on the island. 

This incident underscores the urgent need for coordinated action to safeguard the health and well-being of affected communities and the environment.