Dear Editor,

I am a resident of Bogue Village in Montego Bay, and I am deeply concerned about the growing pile-up of garbage in our community. Since Hurricane Melissa, almost a month ago, no rubbish truck has come to collect the waste. As a result, garbage is now stacked up outside homes throughout the neighbourhood.

This situation is dangerous. When garbage is left uncollected for weeks it naturally attracts rodents. The longer it remains, the more likely rats are to breed in the area, and once they multiply outside, they will eventually begin entering our homes in search of food and shelter. This is a risk to which no community should be exposed.

What makes this even more alarming is the recently declared leptospirosis outbreak affecting several parishes, including St James. Health authorities have warned that the disease is commonly transmitted through the urine of infected animals, especially rats. With rubbish piling up around our homes, the threat becomes even greater.

I am calling on the National Solid Waste Management Authority and the relevant authorities to resume garbage collection in Bogue Village urgently. This is no longer a simple inconvenience, it is a public health matter that requires immediate attention.

A Concerned Resident

Bogue Village, Montego Bay