Jamaica to start education drive to promote proper disposal of garbage

The proper disposal of waste would be taught to Jamaicans through a drive planned by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. The drive would be launched within the next 2 weeks.

Minister Desmond McKenzie, in disclosing the motive and process of drive during the recent monthly meeting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation. The Minister McKenzie said that the drive would be including various platforms, including social media, to enlighten persons.

Minister McKenzie said that the continuous dumping of garbage into drains and gullies had been a major issue resulting in flooding in some areas of Jamaica where it rains.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Desmond McKenzie said that the Ministry of Local Government along with ODPEM [Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management] and the NSWMA [National Solid Waste Management Authority] would be launching within two weeks, a large drive to refine and giving the message of cleanliness and message of participation in helping Government to help them to prevent unnecessary blockage during flooding.

Ministry McKenzie said that they had been going to engage the private sector, the business community, because commercial garbage has been continuously getting deposited in the public sphere, and those persons have not been taking responsibility to dispose of their garbage as they ought to.

The Minister, while an argument, said that while Government continues to pump the necessary resources into cleaning drains and gullies, and at the same time, if a section of the Jamaican society doesn’t buy into self-preservation and discipline, then all our efforts will go in vain”.

Minister McKenzie said the recent flooding in the Corporate Area during the passage of tropical storm Elsa north-east of the island on July 4 has been due, in part, to improper garbage disposal.

Minister McKenzie said that what has been running on the streets was not just water, but tons of garbage, old fridges, mattresses, water tanks, stoves, you name it, and they didn’t come with Elsa.

He implored Councillors and other elected representatives to play their part in fostering the message of promoting proper garbage disposal.