$320-Million Gully Cleaning Programme In The Corporate Area

The Government has allocated more than $320 million for a Gully Intervention Programme aimed at cleaning all major gullies in the Corporate Area.

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, made the disclosure at the opening of the 2020/2021 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (March 10).

He said that while the programme will be heavily operational, efforts will be made to deliver a public education campaign, “as it makes no sense to clean up while others ‘dutty up’.”

“The Gully Intervention Programme is expected to be a major game changer. Once we clean the gullies, we want them to stay clean. We also intend to implement a Gully Maintenance Programme, and this programme will help people take charge of their community,” Dr. Clarke said.

He noted that the clean-up intervention will focus on settlements along the banks of gullies, most of which are difficult, if not impossible, for garbage trucks to traverse.

In the execution of the programme, the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) will recruit people from the targeted communities, train them as environmental wardens, and task them to manage the solid waste in their areas.

“They will be gazetted and employed to the NSWMA,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Dr. Clarke said that other sections of the island will also be cleaned, starting with a $20-million pilot project in May Pen, Clarendon.

He said that designated areas will be identified where garbage will be deposited in skips, which will be cleaned nightly.