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Summer season signalled by farmworkers issues

Keremeos’ perennial problem with temporary farmworkers came back with summer weather and ripening crops this week.

Keremeos’ perennial problem with temporary farmworkers came back with summer weather and ripening crops this week.

Strangely enough, a government agency apparently sent officials to the former Farmworkers Campground site just east of the cement plant last week to serve an eviction notice on the transients taking up residence there.

According to one of the campers, the officials returned later in the week to say that they did not have the authority to give the campers the boot.

The campground issue may be a little more explosive this year, given that the campground is no more. Several farmworkers have returned to the valley with the expectation of having it there - and will probably continue to use the site, without the few amenities - toilets, trash barrels -  that provided some degree of environmental protection last year.

As a matter of fact, they will probably be camping on the river near Pine Park later this month, when water levels drop.

Expect tempers to flare in early August if the present hot weather continues. As much as the temporary campground was a stopgap solution, it did provide a designated location for transients to pitch a tent. With the initiative now defunct, and apparently nothing new to replace it and no resolve on the part of the agricultural community to provide a solution, it appears that once again, Keremeos residents will be the ones left to deal with seasonal migration of temporary domestic farmworkers.