Robert Bryan (right), chairman of the National Solid Waste Managment Authority (NSWMA), addresses a press conference at the agency's offices on Half-Way Tree Road in St. Andrew, yesterday. Looking on is Christopher Powell, acting executive director at the NSWMA. -Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Robert Bryan, chairman of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), says a shortage of trucks and foremen at the agency is impeding clean-up efforts by the agency in the aftermath of Hurricane Dean.

Mr. Bryan, who was addressing a press conference at the agency's offices on Half-Way Tree Road in St. Andrew yesterday, made an appeal to members of the public who can assist to contact the agency.

"We are making a public appeal for persons with tipper trucks to come to 97 Hagley Park Road so that we may engage them to give us the sort of numbers that are required to really accelerate this particular programme," he said.

Mr. Bryan said the agency currently has only 20 trucks at its disposal but would need three times this number to address the clean-up effort.

Meanwhile, Christopher Powell, acting executive director at the NSWMA, said the agency would be cleaning the Corporate Area and major towns first.

"... The approach is that we are going to be concentrating our resources and efforts on one road at a time," he said. "When we are finished with Waltham Park Road we will be moving to Rousseau Road and then on to Maxfield Avenue, then Molynes Road and Lyndhurst Road (in Kingston), that is what we are planning to do."

He said when this is completed resources would be deployed to other areas. He said so far, the agency has completed clean-up efforts in the tourist resort towns, such as Ocho Rios, St. Ann's Bay and Runaway Bay.

Other areas

Mr. Powell said other areas that the agency would be addressing this week include Portmore and Spanish Town. He said work had already begun in St. Elizabeth and Montego Bay.

Turning to the cost of the clean-up effort, Mr. Bryan declined to give a figure but suggested it would be expensive. He added that the agency was already in discussions with the Ministry of Local Government to provide the funds.

He said the agency would be working closely with the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation to assist with the clean-up efforts in downtown Kingston. He said a similar relationship would also be pursued with other parish councils.