NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Western Parks and Markets (WPM), the regional arm of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), is set to begin comprehensive cleaning of Negril’s West End, starting Friday. And, within another six weeks, Westmoreland’s long-awaited garbage transfer station should be installed.

Both initiatives are part of ongoing efforts to address waste management challenges which have long affected the cleanliness and environmental health of this popular tourist destination.

“Apparently, there’s a backup of garbage in that area [the West End], and they are going to start this Friday. They have a dump truck and they’re going to be doing some extensive cleaning in that area. Community members were notified and so, hopefully, that will go off on Friday and we’ll see some results from that — a cleaner area,” stated chairman of the Destination Assurance Council (DAC) for the Negril Resort area, Richard Wallace.

“Residents should be happy about that because there has been an issue with garbage collection,” he added.

Wallace was speaking with the Jamaica Observer on Wednesday following a bi-monthly meeting of the DAC in Negril where the WPM’s Regional Operations Manager Dramaine Jones disclosed the plans. The meeting was held at James Hunter Event Centre at the Boardwalk Shopping Village in Negril.

News of the garbage transfer station for George’s Plain — the first of its kind in Westmoreland — also came during that meeting.

“By the month of May, that should be in. We’re very excited about that because we know that once that is in operation, we will have a much more efficient garbage collection system in Westmoreland,” Wallace told the Observer following the meeting.

Currently, garbage collected in Negril and surrounding parts of Westmoreland must be transported to Retirement Landfill in St James, a journey that takes three to four hours. This long-distance haul has been inefficient, costly, and has contributed to vehicle wear and tear.

With the new transfer station, garbage trucks will be able to offload waste locally, allowing for multiple collection trips within the town. Larger vehicles will then transport the accumulated waste to Retirement during off-peak hours, reducing traffic congestion and operational costs.

Contacted Wednesday, executive director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) Audley Gordon told the Observer that the George’s Plain property — leased more than 20 years ago — is finally being put to its intended use.

“We have now decided to begin to do something there. Since [Hurricane] Melissa, we’ve been using it temporarily to put some stuff in. We’re going to put in place a holding area there officially,” stated Gordon.

“That is something that is being worked on in terms of a temporary holding area so that we can have better turnaround time of the trucks in Westmoreland rather than them travelling the miles that they have been travelling. We’re going to have better turnaround time and then we will use late nights when the road is clear to move the garbage at night to the disposal site. So that is something that is actively being pursued,” he added.

The executive director said aspects of the often-lengthy procurement process had already been completed as it relates to securing the property.

“The fencing of the property and more, to make it a little safer there and so on, all that is being done now. It’s a little too late, but at least we are doing it,” Gordon said. Another development that will help keep Westmoreland clean is the availability, once more, of a crane truck damaged in Catherine Hall, St James, during last October’s Category 5 storm. Although not fully restored, that truck is now operational and will be used to help handle bulky waste items such as old vehicles and large debris, further supporting waste management efforts. News that the truck is now back up and running also came during the DAC meeting, where there was extensive discussion about waste management.

Three weeks ago, the Observer reported that the Negril Chamber of Commerce was seeking audience with Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie and the NSWMA’s Gordon in relation to what stakeholders describe as a breakdown in regular collection of garbage.

According to Wallace, there are indications that there have been improvements over the past few weeks, with many areas experiencing more regular and efficient service. Meanwhile, Gordon has noted that challenges faced by his team in Negril are not new.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had situations coming out of Negril in terms of complaints and so on; it’s not unique to Negril either. But we have to understand the science behind garbage collection. You generate it every day. So even if you clean a place up today, it doesn’t mean you won’t see garbage there tomorrow, because garbage keeps generating,” he explained.

“So we have to try and stay on top of it as best we can. But what can help us — and so far some people comply, but some don’t — but what can help us is where people properly package their garbage. If you properly package your garbage, it makes us run a more efficient service where our crew will just go in and pick up and move, pick up and move; whereas, when it’s not packaged, we will have to stop and scrape it up or rake it up,” added the NSWMA executive director.