Dear Editor,

I have waited for the ‘battle’ to subside and the smoke to clear, somewhat, before publicly expressing my thoughts regarding the Riverton disposal site debacle and the subsequent fallout from the same. I am doing so because I have had the opportunity of working under Jennifer Edwards’ leadership at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and developed great faith in her competence. I found her to be an intelligent, pragmatic, and hard-working woman.

I have waited for the ‘battle’ to subside and the smoke to clear, somewhat, before publicly expressing my thoughts regarding the Riverton disposal site debacle and the subsequent fallout from the same. I am doing so because I have had the opportunity of working under Jennifer Edwards’ leadership at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and developed great faith in her competence. I found her to be an intelligent, pragmatic, and hard-working woman.

Those, like me, who have worked at the NSWMA fully understand that solid waste management is not rocket science, but it calls for an abundance of common sense, which Ms Edwards certainly possesses. The problem, however, is that, even with an abundance of that quality, no matter how hard one tries, carrying water in a basket just does not work!

Edwards should in no way feel ashamed or guilty about the shortcomings of the NSWMA. Week after week, and month after month I saw the problems she had to grapple with and how hard she and her predecessor worked just to have the employees and contractors paid. I saw the innovative schemes she employed to attract revenue for the agency, the way she dealt with emergencies, and how she tried to maintain staff morale. All this with an underfunded and underequipped government agency that was organised to be a regulatory body but also found itself dumped with operational functions.

Edwards once told me the story of how one of our national heroes, Norman Manley, dealt with those he discovered were plotting to remove him as leader of his party and how, when he summoned one of the plotters, said to him: “I must advise you that where two or more are gathered together, there is one for me!” She should now remember that story and take strength from it with the certain knowledge that her suspicion of being the sacrificial lamb will be confirmed in time.

Colonel Allan Douglas

Kingston 10