compost dumping across from Victor Scott School in Pembroke.

Sir John visited the site, at the old Bishop Spencer field, on Saturday after residents and Pembroke East Central MPs Mr. David Allen and Mr. Stanley Morton complained that the dumping was bringing "cockroaches, flies, and awful smells'' to the area.

Mr. Allen attributed the smell and flies to the dumping of banana trees, and the roaches to the dumping of cardboard boxes.

Works and Engineering Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira had earlier dismissed the complaints as "utter nonsense''.

He said anyone with "any common sense'' would know that the waste, which consist of leaves, paper and cardboard boxes, will produce no smell nor flies.

Dr. Terceira accused the PLP MPs of bringing up the issue for "political gain''.

But last night Sir John said there was a smell in the area. However, he said, "there weren't as many flies as I've been led to believe''.

Sir John said he planned to meet with Dr. Terceira today to arrange a visit with the Minister to the site sometime this week.

"It is something that we want to see what we can do about it,'' he said. "We realise there is a problem finding areas for composting.'' With very little construction going on, there is also insufficient construction material to cover the area, Sir John added. "And the more you put over there, the worst it gets.'' Last week, Government's solid waste manager Mr. Dan Hoornweg and Works and Engineering permanent secretary Mr. Stanley Oliver heard complaints from area residents during a PTA meeting at Victor Scott School.

The officials told the residents they were not alone as composting was also taking place at the Sally Port Dump at Dockyard and that future composting might take place at the airport.

But Mr. Allen, in the House of Assembly on Friday, said "there are not thousands of residents who live at Sally Port or at the airport. But certainly there are thousands who live in the Pembroke area''.

He questioned why Dr. Terceira would not have composting done at Government's Tulo Valley Plant Nursery in Pembroke West -- Dr. Terceira's constituency.

"Could it be that the stench may be too unbearable for the people of Fairylands?'' he asked.

Dr. Terceira was not present at the time.

But Sir John apologised to the people in the affected area. "I would like to extend an apology to the people of Pembroke East and Pembroke East Central if composting is affecting their daily lives,'' he said. More on Pages 7-8.