Pastor Fulter Gardiner

Two cows on a property next to his home and church are making life unbearable for Pastor Fuller Gardiner of Kew North Caicos.

After months of trying to reason with the owner of the livestock, Mr. Nehemiah Missick, Gardiner decided to make the trek to Provo and come to The SUN's office to explain his predicament and to plead with someone to assist him and his congregation.

“The Church has been there for the past 34 years and this man brought the cows there just last year. I have told him that the scent from the cows is too strong and also the noise is quite disturbing, but the smell is what I am mostly concerned about.

“He has repeatedly told me that it is his land and he is not going to move them; I know that it is his land, but all we are doing is appealing to him to place the cow pen in another location on his property which would cut down on the stench when the wind changes to the south east direction,” said Gardiner.

Pastor Gardiner spoke with the Department of Environmental Health and thanked Mr. Lorne Robinson for sending someone to look at the problem. However after agreeing that the smell was bothersome, the inspector told the pastor that there was nothing in the ordinance as to where they can force him (Missick) to move the cows from the location because they are on his property.

“I know that it is his property and I have spoken to the Director of Planning about the cow pen and the rickety fence that he has put up, but no one has come as yet to do an inspection.

“It is unsightly to look at the fence and posts. The cows just roam and go to the bathroom right in front of my living room or in line with the church. They also at times break the fence and come to eat my wife's sweet peppers and he simply does not care,” said a frustrated Gardiner.

Gardiner says that he is also concerned about his family's welfare and health, because of the stench and when considering that the fence he put up is only 16 feet from his dining room he is calling on Government, his representative Hon. Royal Robinson or anyone who can help to do sometime about this man and his cows.

“We don't have air conditioning in our Sunday school room and a month ago he saw us closing the windows, and heard the children expressing how bad the stench was, and he did nothing. For a person to take a cow pen and put it 10 feet from the church that is merciless and shows no concern about the spiritual building of the community.”

“My understanding is that he is planning to bring more cows, and if we are suffering that bad from only two, imagine what would happen if he brings more. My congregation is not pleased about it and has tried to talk to Mr. Missick, but nothing has been done.”

Efforts to reach Mr. Missick for a response proved futile.