Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
VIDEO: ‘A regulator trying to police its own standards’
Andrew Holness
News
BY INGRID BROWN Associate Editor ? Special Assignment browni@jamaicaobserver.com  
March 22, 2015

VIDEO: ‘A regulator trying to police its own standards’

OPPOSITION Leader Andrew Holness has reiterated his call for the Riverton dump to be privatised as the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) cannot be both a regulator and an operator of the site.

His call comes even as toxic smoke continues to linger over the city from the dump, which has been on fire for nearly two weeks.

“The policy of the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) on the dump is firstly that a regulator should not be an operator. NSWMA is a regulator trying to police its own standards, and whenever that happens, where there is a breach, there is no accountability,” he said.

Holness, who along with members of his team of spokespersons, was addressing the weekly Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange at the newspaper’s head office in Kingston yesterday, said the divestment process would be greatly helped if Government would pass legislation to mandate the separation of waste at the point of generation.

“The JLP, when it becomes Government, will put in place such legislation,” he said, adding that this is absolutely critical to the development of a feasible and sustainable waste-management industry in Jamaica.

He noted that, during his tenure, the JLP-led Government had a solid proposal for turning the dump into a waste-to-energy plant. This, however, failed to get off the ground because of the change in government in December 2011.

“Credit must be given that we did start the process of turning the Riverton City dump into a productive enterprise. We started to use it for the creation of compost and we started to sell compost,” he explained.

Among the challenges with waste in Jamaica, according to Holness, is the fact that there has been a failure to establish an e-waste policy to govern the disposal of things like appliances and telephones, which contains all sorts of chemicals.

Although there had been fires at the dump under his Administration’s watch, Holness said it was never allowed to get so out of control as happened this time around.

“We have had fires at the dump, but none of them under our Administration has lasted this long or has had this devastating effect, because the previous management had pre-positioned material that could be used and they put in place security measures,” he explained.

He also reiterated the point made in his recent contribution to the Budget Debate that the NSWMA should no longer be allowed to be used as a trough, feeding tree or the loophole through which government funds escape into partisanship.

Meanwhile, Holness said divestment will not necessarily mean the displacement of people who earn a living from the dump.

“We are not saying that by virtue of this policy of divesting that the people who live in the environs of the dump should be excluded. The people who live at Riverton City should be brought to the understanding, and I think the PNP (People’s National Party) has a greater duty in this regard because whenever we talk about NSWMA being a feeding tree, in that the people who are closest to that feeding tree, 99 per cent vote for the PNP,” he said.

He pointed out that the aim is not to look merely at the economic side, given the deeper social issues such as that of the people who earn an income from the dump.

“What we are trying to do is to make it easier for them to make a living in a more structured and meaningful way,” he said.

Holness said Kingston is not the first city to have a dump in its proximity, but the difference is that others have developed the technology and the institutions to manage them properly.

“It is a stupid argument to say we don’t have the funds to manage the dump, yet when there is a fire you find the funds to deal with it,” he said, adding, “let us, as leaders, make the decision to say, once and for all, we are going to fix it.”

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

14-y-o among two charged for possession of prohibited weapon
Latest News, News
14-y-o among two charged for possession of prohibited weapon
July 12, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica - A St Thomas labourer and a teenage boy have been charged with possession of a prohibited weapon   following an incident in the par...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
PNP mourns passing of former MP and statesman Dean Peart
Latest News, News
PNP mourns passing of former MP and statesman Dean Peart
July 12, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The People's National Party (PNP) is mourning the passing of Dean Alexander Peart, former Member of Parliament for Manchester Nort...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
D’Angel ‘s and Beenieman’s son Marco-Dean Davis to co-lead youth summer boxing camp
Entertainment, Latest News
D’Angel ‘s and Beenieman’s son Marco-Dean Davis to co-lead youth summer boxing camp
July 12, 2026
Marco-Dean Davis, the son of dancehall artistes D'Angel and Beenieman, is stepping into a leadership role this summer as he co-spearheads a three-week...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Rubio says Cubans deserve ‘a better future’
Latest News, Regional
Rubio says Cubans deserve ‘a better future’
July 12, 2026
WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) – United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that, five years after the July 11 demonstrations, Cub...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jamaica’s population grew by just 600 in 2025 – PIOJ
Latest News, News
Jamaica’s population grew by just 600 in 2025 – PIOJ
July 12, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP) — Jamaica’s population was estimated at 2,764,200 at the end of 2025 when compared with 2,763,600 in 2024. This indicates a ne...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
US-Iran strikes — latest developments
International News, Latest News
US-Iran strikes — latest developments
July 12, 2026
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Iran announced it was again closing the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday and hit Gulf neighbours in retaliation for US s...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Argentina football great Rattin dies at 89
Latest News, Sports
Argentina football great Rattin dies at 89
July 12, 2026
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) —  Former Argentina captain Antonio Rattín, who was sent off in the 19966 World Cup quarter-final against England, died ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
NWC Amnesty realised nearly $800 million for State-owned utility
Latest News, News
NWC Amnesty realised nearly $800 million for State-owned utility
July 12, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The customer amnesty and relief programme granted by the National Water Commission (NWC) in January 2025 generated $769.0 million ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct