Old Harbour councillor tackles garbage crisis

And to prove his commitment Graham, a native and resident of Old Harbour, has begun overseeing the strategic placements of garbage drums along the corridors of East and West streets.

He told Old Harbour News that he’ll be seeking additional receptacles to be placed along Darlington Drive, South Street, Ascot Drive and Vaz Drive to mitigate the pileup of mini garbage heaps visible across the town.

On the weekend the first set of drums were put in place – all painted in the colours black, green and yellow.

A team of workers, Graham said, will be out on a daily basis monitoring and managing the flow of solid waste at each point.

“I see where the town is dirty and my dream is to see the town keep clean. I want to get rid of the dumping sites throughout the town and want to see the town beautify,” Graham told Old Harbour News.  

“I want people to see me as a councillor making a difference. I have some different ideas and plans for next year,” he added.

He said, he has been lobbying constantly at the St Catherine Municipal Corporation meetings for the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) to have a truck visit the town centre at least twice per day. This he argues, will significantly reduce the pile up of garbage in the town.

“If you drive through the town through the day the town is dirty bad,” the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor said.

“We are going to continue it and will be watching it. We are asking for the trucks to come in the day, as right now they only come in the mornings.”

Graham said members of his team have been instructed to exercise vigilance in protecting the receptacles, particularly vagrants such as drug addicts, in addition to some members working on the trucks.

Meantime, the Old Harbour Chamber of Commerce says it welcomed the initiative, while calling for a long-term waste management plan for the town.

"Creative waste management strategies can play a critical role in helping Old Harbour improve its energy efficiency and become more sustainable in the long-term. However, without a proper recycling and installation plan for the garbage drums it will be another misuse of taxpayers’ money," said Adrian Samuda, president, Old Harbour Chamber of Commerce.

"We must focus on reducing, reusing, and recycling as the way to a more sustainable urban future. One drum will create greater environmental problems in the long run.

"I suggest that at each placement point three drums are properly fixed, labeled and color coded; cans, glass and plastic bottles, and paper.

"We must think of protecting the environment and also long term in our town plans."