Garbage hampering man's business

Nestled on a miniature hill in Linstead, St Catherine, is Wilford Campbell's 11-bedroom guest house, River View.

In addition to a lavish poolside bar, River View, at first glance, also boasts a picturesque view of nature.

Upon closer inspection, however, one can see the large pile-up of garbage that remains stationary in a section of the Rio Cobre that runs behind Campbell's home.

A concerned Campbell told THE STAR that in addition to being unattractive, the garbage may pose serious health risks to persons who drink water from the river and bathe in it.

He blamed improper waste disposal for the situation.

"Me have a raft and sometimes would try do little rafting, but sometimes, all dead animal and s**t are tied up in bags and emptied in the water. People just throw every single thing in it, and that's really disappointing. They need to do better because water is really life," he said.

He stated that he has high hopes of seeing Linstead become a tourist haven and listed it as one of the reasons he has extended his five-bedroom home into a guest house.

He said that although River View is a thriving business, the garbage has been a setback.

"The name of my guest house says it all. Tourists especially come here to get a natural view of Jamaica. They are all excited about nature and the fact that there is a river. But once they get a sight of it (the garbage), it's a major turn-off. Sometimes it's hard to convince them that it's not the same water they are drinking. They can't even go for a swim," he said.

According to Campbell, a heavy downpour may sometimes wash away the dump, but all it takes is a few days for the area to return to a deplorable state.