Garbage pile-up affecting Portland residents

Several communities in east Portland are now being overrun by rats, roaches and other pests as a result of a huge pile-up of garbage in several communities.

The affected communities comprise Boundbrook, Stony Hill, Breastworks, a section of Anchovy Gardens, Drapers, Fellowship, and the corridor extending into Manchioneal.

Mayor of Port Antonio, Paul Thompson, told THE STAR that trucks owned by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) have developed serious mechanical problems, forcing that entity to hire private trucks to remove the waste. Thompson said that the period leading up to last November and December was arguably the most critical period for the NSWMA, which, up to that point, was doing an excellent job of cleaning up Port Antonio and its environs.

"What we find happening now is that some residents are dumping their garbage into other communities resulting in a pile-up of garbage in some areas," said Thompson. "This is not a good practice as it provides an opportunity for dogs to sift through the uncollected garbage, which ends up littering an entire area. So with the loss of some of those trucks assigned to east Portland, garbage is piling up at an alarming pace."

Thompson said that he had also received word that some commercial operators, including restaurants and supermarkets, are also dumping their waste in some communities, especially at nights.

"I am aware that the Member of Parliament (Ann-Marie Vaz) has contracted some private truck operators to assist with the removal of garbage, but it will take some time before things get back to normal, as there are many communities facing the problem of uncollected garbage. I can state categorically that garbage is being collected, but the amount of uncollected waste still remains at a high proportion. The presence of rats is always a bad sign as this kind of rodent spreads the deadly disease, leptospirosis," he added.

Meanwhile, retired school teacher Alma Palmer told THE STAR that since persons from other areas started dumping waste near a wall just outside her gate in Boundbrook, roaches and rats have swarmed her home and an unbearable stench affects her family including her 92-year-old husband.

"I simply cannot understand why people are now dumping garbage at my gate," she said. "I started realising this about six months ago and it has got from bad to worse. I am appealing to the powers that be to look into this situation, as our health is being compromised, and with COVID-19 still active. we would not want to see an outbreak in cholera or possible malaria. The mosquitoes are also on the increase," she added.