Anti-Litter Ticketing System for St. Thomas

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) will shortly introduce its anti-litter ticketing system in the parish of St. Thomas.
Under the system, first implemented on May 1, persons found contravening the provisions of the Public Cleanliness regulations will be ticketed and fined.
“We have started pilot projects in Kingston and St. Andrew, Portmore and Montego Bay. It is reaping significant success and it should be spread to St. Thomas and other communities very soon,” Public Relations Officer at the NSWMA Lehome Johnson said.
Speaking at the St. Thomas Environmental Protection Association awareness campaign conference held recently at the Anglican Church Hall in Morant Bay, St. Thomas, Mr. Johnson cautioned persons about how they dispose of their garbage. He urged residents to keep their communities clean by practising the three Rs – recycling, reusing, and reducing.
Mr. Johnson said that the dumping of garbage, especially in the hilly areas and on the coastal zones would have “severe negative effects on the environment,” pointing out that these dumps usually become breeding sites for insects and pests.
Additionally, he said the improper disposal of garbage, which flows in drains and gullies, often leads to flooding. “We have to think ahead, we must know that our actions must have consequences,” he added.
Mr. Johnson said the NSWMA has been spearheading several initiatives to educate citizens on what they could do to preserve and protect the environment. He mentioned the Agency’s Clean School Competition, involving some 200 students and held earlier this year under the theme, “Transforming the Environment through our Youth”.
Mr. Johnson disclosed that the NSWMA was in the process of sending out applications and receiving responses from primary and prep schools for another competition scheduled to begin at the end of November.