Cabinet to Approve New Board for NSWMA

A new Board for the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is being put together for Cabinet’s approval, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, has revealed.

Making the disclosure at the weekly Post Cabinet press briefing, held at the Office of the Prime Minister, on April 1, Mr. Arscott informed that the action is necessary as seven of the current 11 members of the Board have resigned.

The Minister said that he met with the Board last week, and was updated on recent happenings at the agency, particularly the move not to renew the contract of Executive Director of the NSWMA, Miss Jennifer Edwards.

“I have accepted their resignations. These resignations have rendered the Board ineffective. It does not now possess the quorum required to meet and act. I am grateful for the expressions of interest that I have received from persons who wish to serve, and I intend to propose nominees to Cabinet for approval,” the Minister added.

He informed that urgent steps have been taken to address all the issues that have come to the public domain, so that the agency can continue its work to ensure the “clean environment that our citizens deserve.”

The Minister said he has ideas that the new Board will need to work on to ensure self-financing of the agency, and that with increased collection in property taxes, much of the funding challenge at the cleansing agency will be addressed.

Meanwhile, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dionne Jennings, reported that auditors in the Ministry are reviewing an April 2014 audit done by the NSWMA’s auditors, and this should be completed by April 10.