GB No. 2(17)/95
We are the citizens of a seaside town situated by the Świna River estuary and we have a real dilemma.
Świnoujście: 44, 000 inhabitants, situated on both sides of the Świna River's estuary. Both a port and a health resort. The former authorities' economic policy caused:
First, an experimental low efficiency sea water treatment plant was built.
At present a new German-designed sea water treatment plant is being built. However the substance for treating water, called sedipur, has proved to be carcinogenic (sic!) and forbidden by SANEPID (Sanitary and Epidemiological Station - Stacja Sanitarno Epidemiologiczna). Finding themselves in a fix, the authorities made SANEPID allow sedipur on certain conditions. Nevertheless the "treating" has been stopped because of technological process (a substitute for sedipur is being considered because the water is so bad. Even the Germans has not foreseen it)would be so bad.
The contract with the Germans for constructing a sewage treatment plant (only the idea is positive) will implement the most expensive (sic!!!) project.
20% of the treated sewage will consist of German waste in exchange for partial financing and carrying out their project.
"There's business to be done.
But how much might be lost?
Don't think about that, but why don't you ask me how much can be earned? "
Unfortunately the municipal authorities, which are under the pressure of low budget, are looking for extra funds and, like prostitutes, they can't be choosy about clients.
The citizens have been presented with the idea construction of a trans-shipping fuel terminal. The seaside belt, of over 30 ha, is going to be leased to a company for 15-18 billion old zł a year.
The following argument has been taken from the company's info about the project:
"The tourist image of the town will not deteriorate because the sight of a tanker in the dock can only improve aesthetic values of this region"
I find myself unable to even begin to present the problem of the terminal's impact on the region but yet the councillors are still hesitating over their decision. The arguments for the project are economic. According to economists and decision-makers the health resort will decline for economic reasons anyway so that this cannot be used as an argument against the terminal. Of course the town is under financial pressure- the administrator of the district is no longer going to subsidise the ferries which may be considered essential in a town divided by water. The amount of money which could be gained by the lease has been estimated as enough to maintain two schools in the town. However the inhabitants are protesting the plans and generally the situation is a mess.
You can help by:
Thank you for help for Świnoujście.
RW
The above text came for Ekologia conference in FIDOnet, and then was sent for discussion list of Polish Greens: greenspl@plearn.edu.pl
reprinted from Zielone Brygady 2/95