NSWMA Engages More Trucks, Contractors to Clear Garbage

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is engaging additional trucks and contractors as the agency works to clear the increase in garbage across the island, says Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie.

He noted that the debris caused by Hurricane Melissa has added to the regular residential and commercial waste, and teams across the island have been working 24 hours, particularly in the most impacted parishes, to clear the pile-up.

He said that householders have also been clearing their homes of old furniture and appliances further exacerbating the situation.

The Minister urged patience and for persons to be “a little bit more considerate in how we are disposing of the waste”.

“A lot of people now are doing ‘spring cleaning’, so it is not only debris from Melissa. We are seeing old fridges, mattresses, everybody throwing them out now, and it is going to be taking some time,” he said, while addressing a press briefing on Tuesday (Nov. 11) at Jamaica House.

“The lines [at the landfills] are extremely long, so we are urging patience as we continue to improve on that area,” he added.

Meanwhile, Minister McKenzie informed that the Trelawny Municipal Corporation has commenced a comprehensive clean-up of the town of Falmouth.

“They have started, and since yesterday they have started to clean out the Falmouth Market. Once that is done, the vendors who are on the streets will be allowed to go in and use the car park of the market to ply their trade,” he said.

He noted that no authorisation has been given for municipal corporations to increase fees.

Turning to the emergency shelters, the Minister reported that there is no overcrowding at the facilities.

He noted that individuals staying in the shelters often receive visitors during the day, which may give the impression of excess occupancy.

The Minister informed that come next week, 300 workers from the Youth Summer Employment Programme (YSEP) will be deployed to do an actual count of the number of persons in the shelters.