By Kisean Joseph
International Health Outreach (IHO) and the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) have launched a volunteer litter warden programme that has drawn overwhelming community support, with over 70 applicants.
The initiative, designed to supplement the country’s four paid litter wardens, has selected 25 dedicated volunteers undergoing comprehensive training at the Multi-Purpose Cultural Center.
“We don’t necessarily believe that we are in any way remaking the wheel or adding any level of redundancy to the system,” explained Kieron Murdoch, Communications and Administration Specialist with IHO. “What we have now is provision for litter wardens, but we don’t necessarily have what I think anybody may consider to be an adequate number of persons executing that role.”
The programme emerged from community consultations in the Northeast Marine Management Area (NEMMA), where residents have voiced serious concerns about illegal dumping in pristine areas, particularly wetlands and mangroves.
Dr Nicola Bird, director of the initiative, emphasised that the programme aims to make communities part of the solution rather than feeling that regulations are being imposed upon them.
“These are persons who live in Antigua and Barbuda and they go around every day and they see the challenge that we face in terms of the littering, the dumping, sometimes the filth,” Murdoch noted.
One volunteer reported the community had become an unofficial “burial ground” for dead animals, highlighting the urgent need for action.
Recent flooding has underscored the critical nature of proper waste management, with implications for public health, marine life, and tourism. The six-week training programme, led by Rohan Gittens, an instructor with a background law enforcement, equips volunteers with comprehensive knowledge of the Litter Prevention and Control Act, court procedures, and proper engagement techniques.
“He’s going to be speaking to them about the actual approach that they should take in real-life scenarios,” Murdoch explained, emphasising the importance of “decency, courtesy, respect” when confronting offenders. The training includes conflict de-escalation strategies and proper evidence-collection procedures for court appearances.
Drawing a parallel between personal and public responsibility, Dr Bird said: “We take care of our yard, we don’t dump garbage in it, so we need to have the same attitude that the whole of Antigua is our yard.” This perspective aims to foster island-wide environmental stewardship.
Funded through the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund as part of a broader environmental conservation effort, future expansion of the programme will depend on this initial cohort’s success and alignment with National Solid Waste Management Authority policies.
Training sessions are scheduled twice weekly to accommodate volunteers’ work and family commitments. Upon passing the final examination, the litter wardens will be authorised to identify offences, gather evidence, and participate in court proceedings when necessary.
