ST JAMES, Jamaica— The St James Municipal Corporation says it is stepping up enforcement action to prevent the illegal dumping of waste in and around the city of Montego Bay.

Mayor of Montego Bay and chairman of the St James Municipal Corporation, Councillor Richard Vernon said that focus will be placed on businesses, which are allegedly responsible for approximately 80 per cent of the waste found at illegal dump sites.

He said that offenders could face fines of up to $1 million.

“We will be moving around the particular vicinities to ensure that they (businesses) have a logbook that shows when their garbage was collected and who it was collected by. We also will be checking to see if they have a public or private contract for garbage removal from their premises and we will be checking to see if they have receipts,” he said.

In addition, he informed that cameras will be installed at key locations to identify offenders.

Councillor Vernon noted that often, those who dump illegally are the same individuals who criticise the efforts of State entities that tirelessly invest resources in cleaning and maintaining the city.

“I want to tell business owners that it is only $1,000 to be allowed entry to the landfill as opposed to paying up to $1 million for illegal dumping. So, I want persons to desist from illegal dumping. We need to step up and to do better as a city,” he said.

Councillor Vernon made the observations during the roll out of the ‘MoBay STEP Up’ programme across the city of Montego Bay on Sunday.

The Striving Towards Environmental Protection (STEP) initiative involves collaboration among the Municipal Corporation, the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), through WPM Waste Management Limited, and the St James Health Department.

It is aimed at removing illegal dump sites and keeping the city clean.

The day’s activities saw teams removing dump sites at the intersection of Dome Street and Water Lane; Love Lane, Barracks Road, Corinaldi Avenue and other areas.

“This initiative aims to eradicate illegal dump sites, sanitise, conduct street washing and also to do enforcement, which is important,” Vernon announced.

Regional Operations Manager at WPM Waste Management Limited, Edward Muir, reiterated the need for businesses to cease illegal dumping, which contributes to the increase of pests such as rats and cockroaches.

Muir said that the ‘MoBay STEP Up’ programme will be carried out over the next few months, and the objective is to make Montego Bay one of the cleanest cities in the Caribbean.

He said that the programme will be replicated in Hanover, Westmoreland and Trelawny over time.

“Also, I want to say to residents to please desist from building garbage skips and putting them on the streetside without the approval of the NSWMA,” Muir appealed.

-JIS