KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, says by the end of the week, several communities will be cleared of garbage caused by recent heavy rains.

The minister, who spoke at the handover of two garbage compactor trucks, valued more than $50 million, to the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), said that while the rains were welcome, they posed a huge challenge to infrastructure and the collection and disposal of garbage in many communities.

The ceremony was held at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Andrew, on October 22.

McKenzie said he had dialogue with the leadership of the NSWMA, and an “assurance was given that by the end of the week there will be a significant reduction in the pile-up of garbage across sections of the country”.

He also said that over $100 million has been approved for the construction of a bridge that will improve access to the Riverton Landfill, as the current bridge needs to be replaced.

The minister pointed out that plans are “far advanced” to purchase 100 trucks for the NSWMA, which will be the largest one-time purchase of garbage-collection vehicles for the agency.

Meanwhile, Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mike Henry, said some 30 communities will be served by the trucks.

The vehicles will be assigned to communities in Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine, Clarendon, St Ann, St James, and Westmoreland. Funding for the trucks was provided by the JSIF, under its Integrated Community Development Project.

Under a memorandum of understanding signed by JSIF and the NSWMA, management and deployment of the vehicles, as well as maintenance of the trucks and training of staff, will be done by JSIF.

—JIS