WPM Promises A Clean Christmas for Western Jamaica

Residents of Western Jamaica are being assured of significant improvement in solid waste collection in the region over the Christmas season.

Public Cleansing Officer at Western Parks and Market (WPM) Waste Management Limited, Patrick Gilchrist, gave the commitment during the monthly meeting of the St. James Municipal Corporation in Montego Bay on Thursday (Dec.7).

Mr. Gilchrist said that the recent addition of 12 new garbage trucks to the entity’s fleet will boost efforts to ensure that residents can have a clean Christmas.

“Our Executive Director [of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Audley Gordon] has made a commitment, not only for a clean Christmas but for a clean, festive season.

“That commitment is for the cleanest that we [have seen in the longest while]. Without a doubt, this addition to our fleet will significantly assist us in carrying out our mandate to keep our space clean,” Mr. Gilchrist noted.

“So, we are definitely expecting that this Christmas you’ll see vast improvements in solid waste manage [and] removal of waste…,” he stressed.

The Public Cleansing Officer is imploring residents to assist the agency to achieve a cleaner environment by playing their part in proper waste management.

“I want to implore the citizens to come on board and to assist us. We cannot do it on our own and we need the partnership and the support to keep [western Jamaica] clean,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Gilchrist informed that the WPM will increase its collection of bulky waste during the month of December, in light of the expected increase in that type of garbage during the festive season.

“We did a total of 10 loads [in St. James] for [November] and I am expecting an increase for this month because we know at this time of the year a lot of old stuff is coming out. People are refurbishing and refreshing, so that will definitely be stepped up in the month of December,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Montego Bay’s Mayor, Councillor Leeroy Williams, welcomed the new garbage trucks, noting that the units will improve the WPM’s capacity to increase garbage collection in St. James.

“I was elated to see those trucks coming in knowing that they should increase the capacity of Western Parks and Market to clean the city and its environs. So, I am definitely looking forward to a clean Christmas this year,” Mayor Williams said.