The National Solid Waste Manage Authority (NSWMA) is reporting much success in turning around the business operations of the Corporate Area’s public cleansing agency.

The agency reports that it has made significant strides in its service delivery and internal organisation and attained more improvements every day. In its 2019 annual report, which was tabled in parliament recently, the NSWMA highlighted some of the significant achievements, while pointing out that it continues to face several challenges.

The NSWMA admits that while there have been improvements in its drive to achieve once weekly garbage collection, the agency continue to be hampered by a lack of garbage trucks (despite having received over 40 new trucks over the past two years) as well as challenges of dealing with the layout of informal communities, and the lack of proper containerisation of waste, which results in reduced productivity of our collection process.

ACQUISITION OF 100 GARBAGE TRUCKS

NSWMA Chairman, Dennis Chung disclosed that plans are far advanced for the acquisition of 100 new trucks under a lease arrangement, which will add a substantial boost to its collection capacity and improve productivity.

He also disclosed that the Public Investment Management Secretariat (PIMSEC) has approved the construction of a transfer station in Daniel Town, Trelawny.

According to Chung,”this is a key component to effective solid waste transportation and will not only save us millions of dollars in fuel costs and lessen air pollution, but will improve our collection services in the Western Parks and Market region. We recognise that we still have a long way to go, and continue to do our part to set the Authority on a path of improvement, so that future boards, and management, will have a stronger platform to build on.”

SYSTEMIC WEAKNESSES

The NSWMA 2019 annual report pointed out that the agency’s Audit Committee found weaknesses in operations and recommended ways for improving and strengthening internal controls and compliance with Government requirements. ”I am happy to report that the implementation of 70 per cent of the recommendations were realised during the reporting period and we hope to address the remaining 30 per cent by the end of the next financial year, the NSWMA chairman boasted.