Dear Editor,

Jennifer Edwards was doomed to fail from the outset.

Her employment may have been political, but having only 37 per cent of her budget approved meant that she couldn’t perform and, in the end, not even political contacts could save her. In fact, the prime minister’s feeble attempt to shield her didn’t make a difference. It was simply a case of garbage in at the Riverton dump and politics out.

Peter Espeut, a former board member, suggested that when the Jamaica Labour Party is in power the dump is controlled by the One Order Gang, and when the People’s National Party is in power, the Klansman gang. There is just no way to escape the politics.

If both political parties are serious about putting the interest of Jamaica first then they would hasten to implement a waste-to-energy plant. The Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CaPRI) is saying: “The incineration of municipal solid waste (non-toxic waste) is considered an efficient method of waste disposal due to the potential for thermal energy and also its environmentally-friendly nature. Such plants are fitted with scrubbers which trap gases and particles. This would reduce the amount of waste that needs to be disposed of by over 85 per cent.” This is what many of us have been saying for years without the benefit of the type of research that CaPRI has done.

Incidentally, the dust/gas mask the Minister of Local Government Noel Arscott was wearing at the dump after returning from Japan is the type everyone should have for proper protection against dust and noxious gases. It is far more expensive than the simple dust mask other people are wearing, but I guess we have to protect those who are more important.

Mark Clarke

Siloah PO, St Elizabeth

mark_clarke9@yahoo.com