By Tahna Weston
and Kisean Joseph
Waste management in Antigua and Barbuda is expected to improve with the purchase of new equipment to boost its delivery of services.
The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) was yesterday handed the keys to seven garbage trucks by Sir Molwyn Joseph, the Minister of Health, the Environment and Social Transformation, during a handover ceremony at the Department of the Environment (DoE).
Chairman of the NSWMA, Michael Joseph, said that over the past 18 months he has been on a drive to transform the NSWMA for “the ultimate benefit of the people of Antigua and Barbuda in achieving a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable environment.”
Joseph said that getting to this stage where the Authority would rely less on private contractors for waste collection, among other accomplishments, was not an easy task.
He said that the Authority was plagued with a number of challenges including the untimely collection of garbage, for which many residents complained, and which was no fault of the government’s, but was primarily due to the strategy that was employed to utilize the services of contractors.
The NSWMA chairman said that the addition of the new equipment will facilitate more timely waste collection and reduce its reliance on private contractors, not entirely, but to a manageable proportion.
And as such, according to Joseph, a strategy was employed to increase our fleet to a significant portion. This will allow us to do two things -one, to be able to make outstanding payments that we have to contractors that date back for years, and at the same time, allow us to ensure regular, consistent, and timely household collections.
“Currently, we now have within our fleet seven new garbage trucks, with an additional three to arrive in the next three to four months. These garbage trucks have ranged from eight cubic meters, which we will see very shortly, to 10 cubic meters, with the largest to come in January of next year, 15 cubic meters,” Joseph said.
He said that the Authority also invested in an excavator, a 15-ton dump truck, and a brand-new backhoe, because of its mandate in drain cleaning.
Joseph noted that this year, for the hurricane season, the NSWMA stepped up it’s drain cleaning drive by creating a program that allowed it to clean the majority of the drains, while ensuring that a plan is put in place to maintain them so that overgrowth does not re-occur.
The Authority, Joseph said, will soon have a new weighbridge and three 40-ton dump trucks, which have already been approved by the Cabinet and will help to expand the services that are offered.
Sir Molwyn said that the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has made a massive investment in the NSWMA of over three million dollars for the purchase of new equipment.
“…When combined with the equipment that Antigua has been able to procure with the environment, where which we now have our own excavator and backhoes, we are looking close to five million dollars, which is a clear demonstration that this government is serious in addressing the issue of litter and garbage in Antigua and Barbuda,” Sir Molwyn said.
General Manager of the NSWMA, Indira James–Henry spoke about her vision for the Authority and plans to enhance waste collection island-wide.
“It is my hope that bringing new transformative initiatives, more technically trained persons, and launching sustainable programmes in collaboration with NGOs, residents, and community-based organizations will positively impact the overall waste management in Antigua and Barbuda.
“I also hope that the new initiatives and changes will be embraced by both staff, residents, visitors, and citizens of Antigua and Barbuda, as this has been on the ears of everyone as to the poor waste management that we have been carrying-on over the years… and I look forward to transforming the island of Antigua and Barbuda in waste management practices along with my team,” James–Henry concluded.
