Holland Village Gets Drums for Proper Disposal of Garbage

Southern Parks and Markets (SPM) Waste Management Limited launched the ‘Drum A Di Gate’ initiative in the Holland Village community in St. Elizabeth, on Wednesday (August 17).

Launched in November 2020 by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and initially put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Drum a Di Gate aims to encourage proper waste disposal through the containerisation of garbage.

Under the initiative, the NSWMA signed an agreement valued at more than $1.5 million with Hardware and Lumber (H&L) for the provision of 200 drums each month for 12 months to the NSWMA, for distribution to targeted communities across the island.

Holland Village is the first community in the parish to benefit from the initiative. Greenvale in Manchester was the first community to have the programme implemented in the southern region.

During the official launch, held at the Holland United Church in the community, Regional Operations Manager of SPM Waste Management, Edward Muir, noted that the community was chosen due to its previous issues with garbage disposal, as well its proximity to one of Jamaica’s most popular attractions.

“What has happened over the years is that residents who live in the area would normally put their garbage at the front [of the community] on the main road. That created an unsightly situation, not just for Holland Village but for Jamaica, because we all know how important Holland Bamboo is to Jamaica,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Muir added that the agency continues to face issues with timely waste pickup in the parish due to truck issues.

“Currently, we have four units assigned to St. Elizabeth, but on a regular day, we sometimes have two up and running. The result of that is because the units are [sometimes] down [and] parts are not readily available for the trucks,” he noted.

Mr. Muir noted that Holland Village will now get their collection done once every two weeks.

“What will happen now is that the truck will come into the community to collect the garbage every other Tuesday,” he added.

Mr. Muir said that there has been an increase in the number of residents containerising their garbage, and as such there is a “massive increase as it relates to garbage in the parish”.

He noted that the NSWMA is slated to receive some 50 trucks before the end of the year, and “I can assure the residents of St. Elizabeth that they will get their fair share of trucks”.

Under the Drum A Di Gate programme, some 80 drums will be distributed to citizens in the community to place at their gates, 35 of which were handed out after the ceremony.

Member of the Holland Village Community Development Committee (CDC), Lance Morgan, told JIS News that the launch of the programme in the community is “very good”.

“The CDC has been pushing for stuff like this… to help to keep the area clean,” he said.

Another resident, Pastor of the Holland United Church, Reverend Gerald Emmanuel, also welcomed the initiative.

“The situation at the entrance of the community was unsightly. The church is at the entrance of the community, and we are glad that problem has been solved by putting drums at the gates. We hope that the commitment that has been made to collect garbage once per fortnight will hold,” he said.

Patrick Guthrie, another resident, said he was elated for the implementation of the initiative in the community.

“I am pleased about the work, and the community will see more of an upgrade with this project in place. I hope the residents will take care of them (drums) and secure their garbage from rats and roaches,” he said.