Hanover councillors say waste agency failing residents
Published:Tuesday | April 15, 2025 | 12:09 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
After months of appealing for the removal of abandoned vehicles scattered across the Chester Castle Division, Councillor Wynter McIntosh has condemned WPM Waste Management Limited as inefficient and dismissive of the concerns of Hanover residents.
McIntosh’s frustration came to a head during the April monthly meeting of the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC), where WPM representative Rosemarie Erskine presented a report revealing a massive garbage collection backlog in several communities across the parish.
McIntosh was particularly upset because he said he has been trying – with no luck – for months to get the WPM to remove derelict vehicles from his division.
“ ... Even after promises from a senior manager within that agency, to date, nothing has happened,” the councillor stated.
“Last month, on the 13th of March, at 12:45 p.m., Mr Jones told this council that before the end of the day, those matters (vehicles) would have been reported to the enforcement team for immediate action,” McIntosh said, referring to Mark Jones, the public cleansing manager at the WPM. “It does not seem like the end of that day has come as yet.”
Calling the situation “sad, very, very sad”, McIntosh questioned whether making legitimate requests to such agencies is “like asking a dead horse to win a derby”.
He highlighted communities such as Haughton Grove, Lethe, and Chester Castle, which are now overwhelmed with derelict vehicles. These abandoned cars not only pose health and safety risks, but also obstruct traffic and endanger residents – especially the elderly.
Lucea Mayor and HMC Chairman Sheridan Samuels expressed support for McIntosh, saying, “I feel your pain.” He noted that multiple areas across the parish continue to struggle with garbage collection, despite WPM’s recent claim of receiving new trucks from the Ministry of Local Government.
Samuels also mentioned similar issues in Castle Hyde, western Hanover, where derelict vehicles were reported to WPM but remain untouched.
“At the same time, they (WPM) are taking on tasks within the parish that they do not have the expertise to do,” Samuels stated.
“Something is wrong; something illegal is happening, and there needs to be an investigation,” Samuels declared.
Calling for focus, Samuels urged WPM to “stick to [its] core duties and do them well”. He also called for a meeting with WPM’s senior leadership to address the growing concerns.
The report presented by WPM at the meeting revealed that as of the end of March, 33 districts in Hanover were experiencing a garbage collection backlog – 13 in eastern Hanover and 20 in western Hanover.