OPPOSITION spokesman on Housing, Water and the Environment Horace Chang, is blaming political cronyism for the fire that is now raging at the Riverton City dump in Kingston.

In a release to the media Chang determined that the slow response of the national Solid Waste management Authority (NSWMA) and poor execution of various standard operating procedures developed under the previous NSWMA Head, caused the fire to grow out of control.

He stated that the dismissal of middle management staff for suspected affiliation with the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) meant that the knowledge developed to manage such fires were not available to the NSWMA.

Chang called on the NSMWA to explain why existing heavy equipment contractors were not immediately used to respond to the fire.

“It is my information that a decision was taken to find contractors who were ‘genetically’ linked”, he said.

“While the NSWMA was busy ascertaining the political genealogy of contractors and workers, the fire at the Riverton City Landfill rages on and thousands of persons will suffer extended discomfort and possible health risks in the name of political patronage and cronyism,” he added.

He is demanding that the government immediately bring the fire under control and implement the tried and proven strategies put in place by the previous Executive Director of the NSWMA, Joan Gordon-Webley, to bring quick relief to affected by the billowing smoke.