'Fire SA's blue flag boss'

2008-03-25 09:27

Durban - Durban's municipal manager Mike Sutcliffe on Monday demanded the international Blue Flag beach scheme fire its South African co-ordinator Alison Kelly, accusing her of "double standards".

In a statement signed by Sutcliffe and the city's water and sanitation boss Neil McLeod, Sutcliffe said: "I have written to the Blue Flag controlling body requesting both that she be removed from the programme and for them to meet with us to discuss what we see as double standards being applied."

The statement follows a report on Monday by the Mercury newspaper that four of the six established Blue Flag beaches in Durban had lost their Blue Flag status and a fifth was in danger of having its Blue Flag status being pulled.

In the statement, Sutcliffe concedes that: "In the past year, only two beaches have exceeded the 2 000 per 100ml limit that requires immediate withdrawal of blue flag status."

The World Health Organisation standard is set at 100 parts of faecal pollution per 100ml of water.

The Mercury reported on Monday that "Durban samples collected on February 12 showed readings as high as 960 per 100ml."

There was no immediate comment from Blue Flag.

The Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label awarded to more than 3 300 beaches and marinas in 36 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, New Zealand, Canada and the Caribbean.

The Blue Flag Programme is owned and run by the independent non-profit organisation Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) which has its head office in Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark.

- SAPA