Dear Editor,

Fire at the Riverton dump has become an annual event with each staging costing the country millions of dollars to get under control. The allegations are that the residents are the arsonists and the ones to benefit directly and indirectly from setting the dump ablaze.

The recent occurrence of suspected arson caused the authorities to propose that soldiers and police provide security for the dump.

The fire and resulting weeks of smoke nuisance have, on numerous occasions, resulted in the closure of schools and businesses with valuable teaching and production time being lost. The smoke has affected individuals as far as Kingston Wharf, Haile Selassie High School, Hydel, Duhaney Park, and Portmore in St Catherine. The smoke has been causing respiratory issues for both adults and children alike costing them thousands in medical bills.

Now, with the nature of a dump, especially one such as Riverton that has every disposable item of garbage bundled in one, should humans be allowed to live, scavenge, and be in a position to set it afire?

Reports have been made in the past of rotten meat and expired items disposed of in the dump making their way back on the open market. Just the thought of this should be a criminal offence.

We need not point fingers across party lines and play the political dumping game with rubbish, as the smoke and the other dump-related happenings are no respecter of party and should be addressed to benefit the country.

What is needed is for the authorities to separate the people from the garbage and secure the area from the hustlers who are blind to the dump’s danger.

With that said, the talks about divestment for the dump should have been bearing fruits by this.

Hezekan Bolton

h_e_z_e@hotmail.com