SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — The parish of Westmoreland, which has been grappling with a significant backlog in garbage collection, may soon see some relief with resources temporarily diverted from St James.

Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited’s senior public cleansing inspector for Westmoreland, Leona Bennett told the monthly general meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation that four trucks have been deployed to the parish to assist in clearing the accumulated waste. WPM is the regional arm of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA).

“We had trucks from St James come down last week, this week as well; we had some yesterday and some on Friday. The [NSWMA] regional operations manager [Dramaine Jones] promised they [the trucks] will stay with us until we eliminate the outstanding backlogs from the parish. They will be with us next week as well,” reported Bennett.

The reassignment of the trucks forms part of a broader strategy to mitigate the waste management challenges in Westmoreland. There has also been an increase in operational hours.

“We have heightened our night shifts as well, and people can verify that trucks have been in the area at night — main roads and communities. We are doing everything to eliminate backlogs as soon as possible,” assured Bennett.

The initiative is being complemented by ongoing bulky waste removal drives and public education campaigns aimed at reducing illegal dumping, which remain persistent problems. Bennett pointed to the role of citizens in maintaining cleanliness.

“Take pride in our parish and containerise our waste. If you travel with your waste, put it in communal bins,” she urged residents.

She noted that illegal dumping continues to be an eyesore in the parish.

“We are trying our best to eliminate the backlog as quickly as possible. Sometimes that puts strain on our resources because they are right out there in front, on main streets, and we see people from various ends putting garbage right there,” stated Bennett.

The WPM employee also revealed that the long-promised transfer station is currently in the preparation phase. The project has faced several years of delays since it was first announced in 2014. As previously reported by the
Jamaica Observer, the station was expected to be in operation this month. Bennett told Thursday’s meeting the site has been cleared and the base material is now being laid.

“Once the foundation is finalised it will be smooth sailing to build the infrastructure. We will keep you updated,” assured the public cleansing officer.

Councillors in attendance at Thursday’s meeting shared their views on the progress being made in setting up the facility.

“We know the significance of that. To hear that construction has started, I am thoroughly thrilled. Georges Plain is just a five-minute drive. To move garbage from central, western, and eastern Westmoreland, then off to Montego Bay, this will give us more opportunities to have a cleaner parish,” said Councillor Ian Myles (Jamaica Labour Party, Little London Division) as he highlighted the importance of the transfer station.