George’s Plain Temporary Holding Area Commissioned Into Service

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) on Friday (September 11) officially commissioned into service the new George’s Plain Temporary Holding area in Westmoreland.

The commissioning represents an important development in the Authority’s efforts to strengthen waste management operations and improve the efficiency of waste collection and disposal within Jamaica.

Constructed at a cost of more than $29 million, the facility includes a solar power system, office space for employees and 24-hour security surveillance.

In his remarks, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, described the development as a significant milestone that will improve the efficiency of garbage collection across the parish.

He explained that the facility is designed to increase operational efficiency by reducing the travel time for garbage trucks transporting waste between Westmoreland and the disposal site in Retirement, St. James.

The station will allow trucks to deposit garbage at the holding area and continue their collection activities, with the accumulated waste later transported to the Retirement disposal site.

“This speaks about efficiency, and you can now hold Western Parks and Markets more accountable for the work that they have to do,” Minister McKenzie said.

More than 17 tonnes of garbage have been collected in Westmoreland since Hurricane Melissa, with Minister McKenzie noting that the parish possibly generated more waste than St. James, Hanover and Trelawny combined.

He said the backlog in regular garbage collection, which was affected by the hurricane and the national cleanup exercise, will be significantly reduced as the facility becomes fully operational.

Minister McKenzie said the facility will also provide the NSWMA with additional resources to effectively carry out its garbage collection responsibilities.

For his part, Executive Director of the NSWMA, Audley Gordon, cautioned residents that the facility is intended strictly for municipal waste generated by households and communities.

“This is not a disposal site,” he stressed, while warning residents against bringing construction debris and other special waste to the facility.

Mr. Gordon said 24-hour security is already in place to ensure that the site is used for its intended purpose.

Meanwhile, Mayor of Westmoreland, Councillor Danree Delancy, welcomed the establishment of the transfer station, noting that it should help to ease challenges associated with garbage collection, including traffic congestion and the distance between Westmoreland and the disposal site.

Member of Parliament for Central Westmoreland, Dwayne Vaz, said improved collection should also help to discourage illegal dumping, which he said some residents have resorted to because of inconsistent garbage collection.

“We’re really hoping that when this holding station is up and running, that level of illegal dumping will also stop,” Mr. Vaz said.

He said the facility should increase the frequency of garbage collection in communities, reducing the pressure on residents to seek improper alternatives.