Stakeholders lament deplorable garbage conditions in Hanover
Published:Monday | June 13, 2022 | 12:07 AMBryan MillerGleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
HANOVER has joined the chorus berating the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Limited for its poor job in collecting and disposing of garbage within that parish.
Many parishes across the island have been making the same complaints about the garbage collection entity and its operations.
In Hanover, the WPM has admitted that it is not doing a good job as far as waste collection is concerned, but blames it on the unavailability of trucks to do the work, or the constant breaking down of the few trucks that it has. A report tabled in the Hanover Municipal Corporation’s (HMC) June general meeting showed that 42 districts across the parish had a backlog of garbage to be collected this May, 13 of which are located in the eastern section of the parish and 29 in the western section.
“In western Jamaica, waste generation continues to rise. This coupled with the frequent breakdown of both the company-owned and supplemental units, resulting in backlogs,” the report read.
“Operations during the period (May) were also hampered by a shortage of drivers and sidemen, as well as the rainy conditions,” the report continued.
CONCERN
Concern is being expressed by councillors in the HMC, however, with regard to the pile-up of garbage and the resultant health problems it poses for residents.
The anxiety peaked with the mention by the Hanover Health Department (HHD) that the rat population across the parish is on the increase, and that they will be seeking financial assistance from the HMC to purchase baits to eradicate the rodents.
Chief Public Health Inspector in the HHD, Patricia Hall-Patterson, noted that there is a solid waste problem across the parish; and once there is such a problem, there will be an increase in the rat population.
“If there is improper garbage or solid waste management, then there will always be rats,” she noted, pointing out that the HMC will be written to for assistance to purchase rat bait.
Rose Erskine, zonal monitor from the WPM/NSWMA who was in attendance at the meeting, said that the organisation awaits the delivery of some new garbage collection units.
“There is nothing more we can do at Solid Waste (the agency) until we get the units,” said Erskine.
She argued that the WPM/NSWMA has to work within the reality of the situation, and citizens will have to assist by creating holding areas for their waste.
Mayor of Lucea and Chairman of the HMC, Sheridan Samuels, argued that he has never seen Hanover in such a deplorable condition with respect to garbage collection and disposal.
“It’s the worst it has ever been,” said Samuels.
He recommended that the NSWMA resort to hiring more “tipper-body trucks” to work in the parish, adding that there are several available, and using them is a tried-and- proven way to solve the problem at hand.
“This is a recommendation from the HMC to the WPM/NSWMA,” Samuels emphasised. “If you are really interested in moving the garbage in this parish, get some tipper- body trucks. There are a lot of them that you can engage in Hanover.”
He argued that a number of trucks that were being used to dump the site for the planned hotel in the Green Island area of the parish are now idle, as that aspect of the work is complete.