AUDLEY Gordon, the former chief technical officer of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), was Monday appointed as executive director of the agency.

Gordon, a deputy general secretary of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, took up the job as chief technical officer earlier this year.

“Mr Gordon has built a reputation as an astute businessman and was previously employed in the position of chief technical officer, where he has demonstrated an ability to get things done. He comes to the position with a mix of pragmatic and appropriate managerial training and exposure that the board believes will serve the authority well,” a statement from the NSWMA board said yesterday.

“The directors were unanimous in appointing Mr Gordon to oversee the day-to-day management functions of the authority,” board Chairman Dennis Chung said. “In the interview conducted by the selection panel, Mr Gordon convincingly articulated a clear vision for the transformation of the authority. This includes the future of solid waste management and public cleansing and will see the authority effectively playing its role as regulators of the solid waste management sector and ensuring the safeguarding of public health. Additionally, he will commence the process towards having sanitary landfill in Jamaica that meets international standards,” Chung said.

According to the statement, the appointment of Gordon as head of the NSWMA is the first step in strengthening the management capacity of the organisation in transforming the organisation into one that every Jamaican can be proud of.

Gordon said yesterday that he is humbled by the confidence placed in him and assured the public that he was fully committed to addressing the challenges of public cleansing and solid waste management in Jamaica. These, he said, will result in improved aesthetics of public spaces and overall a cleaner Jamaica.