SUNDAY April 6, 1997

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

Cool blue

JON Bentley will celebrate his graduation from Capilano College's jazz studies degree pro- gram with a free concert Wednesday, April 9, 7:30 p.m. in the college's new theatre. Performing with Bentley will be Brad Turner on piano, Bernie Arai on drums and Darren Radtke on bass.

WEATHER

Munday: Sunny with: cloudy periods High 12°C, low 3C.

Charges set

Van Wharves accused of fertilizer dump

By lan Nobie News Reporter

VANCOUVER. Wharves faces pollution charges after the North Vancouver company allegedly dumped 100 to 200 pounds of fish- killing ammonium sul- phate fertilizer into Burrard Inlet last ye

The company also tricd to get a longshoreman disciplined _ partially because he refused to dump the fertil- izer into the water in the Nov, 25 inei- dent.

But now Vancouver Wharves says a subsequent company investigation of the incident has not led to disciplinary action.

According to a Department of Fisheries and Oceans summary of the

sat TiS p.m. fongshoreman Richard Morris saw longshoreman Rick Cardamone tell foreman Robert Pickering he wouldn’t wash the fertili ees into the inlet because it was against the Fisheries Act.

Morris saw Pickering give an ord

iploader operator Ben Santelli to manocuvre ao trimmer over Burrard Inlet. Masris then witnessed Pickering sh approximately 100 pounds of fer- zer off the trimmer into Burrard Inlet with a hose, said the fisheri report. Two days later, a letter citing Cardamone’s refusal to follow the washing, instructions and his refusal to work as directed was sent t the B.C. Maritime Employers Association, the agency fongshoremen are _ hired through.

Vancouver Wharves superintendent of industrial relations Mike McClellan acknowledged fertilizer did end up in the water. However, he stated in the

letter to the employees association that there are no provisions in the labor code or the company’s collective agree- ment that validate an employee's refusal to work on such grounds.

The letter requested that discipli- nary action be taken against Cardamone.

Cardamone told the News the company’s disciplinary request was “a bunch of crap” but it made him feel “like about two cents.”

“It’s a poison,” he said of the fertil- izer. “You just don’t introduce a poi- son to somebody else’s environment.”

Vancouver Wharves president and chief operating officer Bill Weymark added that McClellan had to write the letter requesting disciplinary action within nwo davs of the incident to com- ply with regulations. A subsequent investigation has been completed and Cardamone has not been disciplined.

Weymark said the amount of fertil- izer dumped in the water was more like 10 to 26 pounds, not the higher fig- ures cited by fisheries, He said his com- pany believes the envizonment is a top priority and pointed to $5.5 million invested recently in water treatment facilities at Vancouver Wharves.

Weymack said the company could discipline an employee polluting the environment because it’s the compa- ny’s policy not ro pollute.

He could not say if Pickering would be disciplined, does nut know every concerning Pickering’s actions that day.

Vancouver Wharves and Vickering were charged Friday with depositing a deleterious substance in a fish habitat, said fisheries officer Dale Hunt.

Vancouver Wharves, he said, faces fines of up to $300,000 in connection with the incident.

The company has been convicted twice under the Waste Management Act for introducing industrial and busi- ness waste into the environment.

— fan@nsnews.com

Lions Gate Hospital head chopped

Jolanda Waskito

Contributing Writer

IN a prelude to more staff cuts, Lions Gate Hospital’s chief oper- ating officer was fired Friday by the North Shore Health Board.

DOING IT:RIGHT. BEFORE YOUR EVES.

RAR. LUBE.

LOOK FOR OUR

__ 1ST ANNIVERSARY SPECIALS ON PAGE 24

Employees at the hospital were told thar Lynette Best would no longer be working at Lions Gate for budgetary reasons

“The position of CEO has been deleted in antic- ipation of future restructuring and regionalization,” said North Shore Health Board CEO Dr. Inge Schamborzki. “People are very upset and hurt and angry abour Lynette’s departure.”

Senior management will be reassigned Best's for-

West Van man finds home in the don

mer duties, she a significant issue. strapped.” id the hospital budget iew of Lions Gate Hospital s nd will be completed in six month:

People are

“Money continues to be a already

feeling

already overspent

is under

Vhe review will determine, with budgetary con-

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