Tyrone Reid, Staff ReporterThe National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is militantly moving to stop business people who are breaking the law by indiscriminately dumping their garbage in non-designated areas.
Errol Greene, executive director of the NSWMA, told The Gleaner this week that his administration was extremely concerned about the manner in which many members of corporate Jamaica across the island are disposing of their waste. Mr. Greene revealed that several proprietors are acting in contravention to the National Solid Waste Act. "They (some business people) just pay a cart man to dump it somewhere," he revealed.
unsightly practice
Mr. Greene added that several municipal councils have also expressed concern about the situation. Mayor of Portmore, George Lee, who has witnessed the unclean and unsightly practice in his municipality, corroborated the executive director's claim. "Some pay a little man to move their garbage and don't care where they dump it," he said. Mayor Lee said he staunchly supports the militant move by the NSWMA to regularise the disposal of refuse from the commercial sector and that his administration has already been on the offensive to remedy the matter. "I strongly support this move (and) we have been moving after some of them," stressed Mayor Lee who highlighted that the lawbreakers are the minority.
Mr. Greene emphasised that the collection of commercial garbage was not a part of the mandate of the NSWMA. "They should make their own arrangements ...," he insisted. However, Mr. Greene said his administration is not averse to ironing out an agreement with the proprietors for the collection and dumping of their waste, as it would be an additional source of revenue for the NSWMA. "We are looking at that and you will hear something shortly," he said.
Already, Mr. Greene has had discussions with one Chamber of Commerce in St. Catherine and is gearing up to speak to others. "We will be relaying our concerns to other Chambers of Commerce and (individual) business people," he revealed.
