By Theresa Goodwin
While various government departments are still assessing the damage to infrastructure caused by the recent heavy rains, the head of one statutory body believes an island-wide bulk waste clean-up that was conducted by his team would have assisted in a major way to lessen the impact.
General Manager of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Darryl Spencer said over 25 million pounds of bulk waste was cleared from several communities across the island and was taken to the Cooks Sanitary Landfill for disposal.
Several government and non-governmental agencies partnered with the NSWMA on the iniative which also included the clearing of drains in several flood prone areas.
A similar partnership was launched recently, this time to tackle a number of drains that were blocked when the island was battered by the heavy rains that caused widespread damage to the country’s road network.
“We are getting a lot of support from the Public Works Department, CHAPA, and Ministry of Agriculture. So far, we have cleared that drain between Jennings and Bolans that floods during heavy rains [and] we have done another area in Bolans — West Palm Beach.
“We have also partnered with a non-profit organization, Odyssey Inc in the Gray’s Green Community to clean the Perry Bay drain, and work is ongoing there,” Spencer said.
A team is currently working in the Cassada Gardens area, engaged in cleaning the drain that runs through Hawkins Drive leading to Pigotts. Work will also be done in the Fig Tree Drive and Follies areas.
Spencer said this is to ensure that all the drains are free from debris to prevent another disaster like what was experienced weeks ago.
