WESTERN BUREAU:

WESTERN PARKS and Markets (WPM), the regional arm of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), is now having consultations with the St James Parish Council as it seeks to increase its enforcement activities in the parish.

Newly installed WPM manager Eifert Daley told The Gleaner on Monday the agency was adamant to clamp down on the illicit dumping of garbage, especially in the city of Montego Bay, as it seeks to clean up the tourism capital and the rest of the parish.

Daley said while enforcement activities are now taking place, more could be done to curtail the wanton disposal of garbage all over the city.

"It is being done, from urination to dumping of garbage," said Daley. "People are being ticketed for those things as well as for dropping garbage on the road."

"I must admit that we need to see more people going before the courts for actually throwing their garbage all over the place," continued Daley.

"The health inspectors do it, but now we are in discussion with the (St James) parish council to use the municipal police to assist with the prosecution of offenders."

Daley also noted that a community in Montego Bay has been selected as part of the pilot project to participate in the separation of garbage, which is a new thrust by the NSWMA. However, he declined to name the community.

Speaking specifically about the Retirement landfill, Daley indicated that work is ongoing at the 25-acre site to ensure it meets the standard required to function as a sanitary landfill.

Daley said the portion of the property, which is now being used; has been divided into three cells, one of which is fully covered, while work is progressing rapidly to cover the other two cells.

"We are trying to finish the covering of the cells to be able to repair the access road leading to the landfill as quickly as possible," said Daley. "This is to ensure a more comfortable passage for drivers. Plus, we want to finish this before the rain season really sets in."

Security and safety

Responding to queries about people trespassing on the site for economic reasons, Daley said the Retirement site has not proven to be as lucrative as the Riverton dump in Kingston.

Daley said he has already met with Sharon Folkes-Abrahams, the member of parliament for the area, the Social Development Commission and stakeholders in scrap-metal trade to devise a way to store what has been secured from the site.

He also indicated that should a fire break out at the site, the staff is alert and equipped to have it put out quickly.