PORT ANTONIO, Portland — Portland medical officer for health, Dr Sharon Lewis is calling for more garbage trucks to be assigned to the parish as soon as possible to ensure continued success in reigning in the rodent population.

“The NSWMA [National Sold Waste Management Authority] team can be seen working hard each day to collect the refuse but it is evident that more garbage collection trucks are needed in Portland. I am therefore making the appeal for Portland to be prioritised to receive even two more garbage collection trucks in 2026, in the interest of the health and well-being of the population. I am certain that the citizens of Portland would be very grateful if this were to become a reality,” she urged.

Dr Lewis was speaking during last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the parish’s municipal corporation.

In her report she outlined gains made through a rodent baiting project that spanned several months and a wide geographical area, including the Errol Flynn Marina and surrounding areas.

“On the sixth of December 2025, a team of nine public health-care workers rebaited all three points of entry to the port and the Musgrave Market in Port Antonio. Two hundred and fifty-five bait stations were serviced, including 37 newly set stations, and these were replacements for those that went missing. Two hundred and eighty-four packs of three different brands of rodenticide were utilised,” she said.

“All the baits previously placed along the park areas of the Errol Flynn Marina and in the market area were totally consumed at the time of rebaiting. A total of 11 bait stations were found with stale baits at other locations, namely the boat yard, the old marina, and at the beach near to the marina. These bait stations were replenished. An evaluation of bait uptake will be done during this month and a report will be shared subsequently,” Dr Lewis added.

The rodent eradication and call for more garbage trucks are part of a wider push to safeguard public health. Accumulated garbage is a breeding ground for pests that carry diseases.

“The health department continues to be concerned about the frequent delays in the collection of solid waste across our communities in Portland. The resulting pile-up of garbage in many locations becomes a threat to the health of the population on several counts [as] there is the increased risk of the breeding of rodents, flies, mosquitoes, and other pests that can carry diseases.

“While we are grateful that Portland was spared a significant increase in leptospirosis cases and was spared an increase in dengue fever cases, we need support to maintain this good health status in our parish. I am therefore appealing to the authorities to boost the resources of the National Solid Waste Management Authority so that the solid waste can be collected more efficiently,” Dr Lewis said.

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