PM to Meet with Enterprise Team on Riverton City Landfill

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, is to meet this week with the Enterprise Team that was named for the divestment of the Riverton City Landfill.

This was disclosed by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, during a press conference held at the Office of the Prime Minister on July 30, where he gave an update on the fire at the landfill.

The Enterprise Team, which was named by Prime Minister Holness in October 2016, was charged with identifying a preferred waste management provider for the landfill.

“The Prime Minister will meet with the Enterprise Team and the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) over the next two days to be updated on the progress of the team’s work on the divestment of the Riverton City Landfill,” Mr. McKenzie said.

Cabinet today received an update on the fire at the Riverton facility. The NSWMA has ordered an immediate investigation surrounding the circumstances under which it appears arsonists lit two fires at the Riverton landfill off Spanish Town Road in less than 12 hours.

In addition, over the past two months, some 10 fires have occurred on landfills across the island.

Mr. McKenzie said that going forward, additional measures will have to be taken to secure the landfills across the country.

“We are going to provide funding for all landfills across the country to have adequate security, starting immediately. Another step that we will be taking is that all landfills will now have to stockpile adequate covering material, as one of the responses to the problems,” the Minister said.

He said the Government will be working on a more detailed response to the problem, “but for the time being these are some of the measures that we intend to put in place”.

“Before the end of the week, there will be a major announcement as it relates to the Riverton City Landfill. We want to urge some patience and some understanding, and I ask that we observe the warnings and the advisories that are being extended,” Mr. McKenzie said.