Garbage uncollected again in a St. Mary’s North community, so residents are employing self-help, Senator Joseph reports
Yet again, the residents of St. Mary’s North are complaining about uncollected garbage, and Senator Johnathan Joseph is pleading with the representative to alleviate the stress of the people, who are taking matters into their own hands.
Joseph, the United Progressive Party’s representative for the area, says this issue is occurring too frequently in the constituency. He notes that both Cashew Hill and Jennings experienced this problem months ago; and now the residents of Harmony Drive are fed up, disgusted and complaining of the same issue again.
The situation poses some danger – given that garbage attracts vermin, which are carriers of deadly diseases. Therefore, Joseph says, the residents have been trying to help themselves by using a backhoe to collect and dispose of the waste.
He explains that residents would dump their rubbish into the bucket of the backhoe, which would then be emptied into the back of a truck.
Two weeks ago, the General Manager of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) claimed that garbage is not being collected in a timely manner because a number of trucks, owned by private contractors, are being repaired and serviced.
It was promised, however, that this should be completed shortly and waste-collection would get back on its regular schedule.
But Senator Joseph does not believe the majority of the garbage trucks could be down at the same time.
Meanwhile, he says that incidents like these demonstrate poor leadership by the policy makers, and they are a reason to make a change come the next general elections.
