NSWMA sanitation workers celebrate CSEC success

This is exemplified by Joan Powell and Anthony Morgan, two National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) sanitation workers from the Southern Parks and Markets (SPM) region (Clarendon, Manchester and St. Elizabeth).

Both are steps closer to achieving their goals, thanks to the assistance provided by the NSWMA for them to attain their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects.

Ms. Powell and Mr. Morgan sat CSEC Mathematics, English A, Social Studies, Human and Social Biology and Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM). After being successful in four of the five subjects, they secured promotions from sidemen to Route Supervisors for their individual routes. This is one step closer to their goals within the organisation.

Both explained to JIS News the challenges they faced in preparing for the examinations in 2020.

“I didn’t know that I could manage, because I go to class from 8:30 to 4:00 in the day and sometimes I had to leave and go to work in the evening. My zone was very far. Sometimes I had to leave class before it was even over, so I took pictures of the board. Then I had to run to get a taxi because I had to leave class in Mandeville and go down to the dumpsite to wait on the truck and then head to work,” Ms. Powell said.

“Sometimes I’m at work and if the truck breaks down you’ll see me in a little corner with a little piece of paper studying. When I come home in the night, I get a little sleep and then like 10 o’clock at night I wake up and try to do my assessments and all of that and sometimes I even drop asleep,” she added.

For Mr. Morgan, who worked in the mornings and attended classes in the evenings, his sacrifice was both that of sleep, for the purpose of studying at nights, and giving up training with his football team.

Both Route Supervisors say they had the support of family, colleagues and teachers, which contributed to their successful sitting of the exams. So overwhelming was their contribution that Ms. Powell quickly advanced through her classes and was even recommended to sit City and Guilds Mathematics and English.

“When I went to the class I was put in the intermediate group, that was September. In about November they promoted me to proficiency level. I really don’t know how I did it, but it’s the trust and faith in the Almighty, because in that short time, I went to the class as intermediate and stepped up to proficiency. Other children and adults were there already before me, so I just have to give God thanks because I never know I could do it. In the meanwhile, the school helped me to do City and Guilds at the same time,” Ms. Powell told JIS News.

Her ultimate goal is to become a Health Inspector, while Mr. Morgan is eyeing a promotion to Zone Mile Monitor. Both have committed to resit the one subject they missed.

“I got four out of five subjects. I want to go back for the Human and Social Biology and more as well, because I would like to have Accounts and Principles of Business, but for now I am waiting, based on the coronavirus pandemic,” Mr. Morgan said.

He is also a part-time musician and recalls the exposure he received after recording with a colleague, the ‘A Yuh Duty’ jingle for SPM Waste Management Limited.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, shared the music video on his social media page and endorsed the message.

“It was a nice exposure because I even got to perform live in Mandeville once. That I enjoyed a lot. It actually got bigger than what I expected, and it was nice for me to see that I was acknowledged by the PM, so it was wonderful,” Mr. Morgan told JIS News.

Both have been employed to the Authority for seven years, and expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to advance their education, which was something they always wanted to do.

“I feel very much excited and I am thankful for them to choose me to do that,” said Ms. Powell.

“I would just like to say a good thanks. I am so very grateful for all the exposure and opportunity that SPM NSWMA has provided for me. I’ve always wanted to get some subjects, but couldn’t afford it and they paid for them, so I appreciate the opportunity,” added Mr. Morgan.

Both Route Supervisors agree that the NSWMA’s core values – respect, integrity and teamwork – have helped the most in the completion of their daily tasks.

They are among staff members recommended annually for training and classes as part of the NSWMA’s intervention for staff improvement.

Meanwhile, Executive Director, NSWMA, Audley Gordon, told JIS News of the Authority’s strong belief in training and educational programmes.

“We are very big on training. That is something that we emphasise here, primarily because of the effect that can have on your organisation. When you have trained workers the service delivery is better, you improve on your efficiency and so the tax payer will benefit and get a better return on their investment,” he said.

“So here we have a strong programme that we execute each year where training is concerned. Hardly a day goes by where we don’t have someone benefiting from some training, whether internally or externally and on all levels of the organisation. This is what we will continue to do, because we believe that in the long run the organisation is better for it,” Mr. Gordon added.