SSA clears over 45 tonnes of waste for Crop Over weekend

In the wake of the Crop Over festivities, the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) removed more than 45 tonnes of waste from city areas, cleaning up key roadways and public spaces in record time.

SSA Public Relations Officer Carl Alf Padmore said over 115 workers were deployed for the national cleanup effort, which spanned Kadooment Day and the busy Bridgetown Market weekend.

“We were able to remove as well 45.9 tonnes of waste from the road; no incidents to report,” said Padmore, who added that the staff was led by SSA Superintendent Karen Harding, with support from six other officials and security personnel.

“The Minister [of Environment and National Beautification] Adrian Forde and [SSA] Chairman Ramon Alleyne, and, of course, Manager Janet Jones and Deputy Manager of Operations Michael Nicholls would all like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the sanitation workers because they did a fantastic job,” Padmore said. 

“And this is against the background that they would have just come out of some days off the job,” he added, referring to their recent work stoppage.

“We are happy that the staff came out, and this also speaks to their commitment to Barbados and to the culture. We are proud of them. They—we got lots of commendations on the road. Members of The Barbados Police Service, even visitors, stopped to talk with them because [of] the way they’re conducting themselves.”

Padmore revealed that between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Tuesday, the day after Kadooment, key roads like the Mighty Grynner Highway were already cleared.

“That is a commitment. We understand that the Mighty Grynner Highway is a main artery in Bridgetown,” he said. “But with the vendors on both sides, then with garbage in the road itself, it’s always a big challenge.”

With wind and proximity to the coastline, there were also environmental concerns, he said.

“You have to protect the marine environment because you have to work in such a way that the garbage does not make its way into the ocean or into the Shallow Draught,” he explained. “But again, the skillfulness of the workers [means they] are able to provide this, and we cannot sing their praises enough for how they’re able to manoeuvre and get this under control.”

Padmore credited the SSA’s logistical precision, including strategic truck placement and fallback systems to prevent disruption during waste removal.

“You cannot have one or two trucks plying the roads,” he said. “They have the blueprint for making this thing happen.”

He said some spectators even referred to the SSA crews as “the last band” — following behind the revellers to ensure the roads were left spotless.

While walking along President Kennedy Drive as the SSA workers cleared the roadways of debris, a Barbados TODAY team also heard one spectator shouting, “The last band for Kadooment, and the best band by far!” — earning laughter from others nearby.

Padmore said national garbage collection services are now the SSA’s focus.

“This week ahead, we are trying to level out in terms of collection. We know that there would be some challenges because you have had two bank holidays…. There would have been one on Friday, one yesterday, and then you had a disruption with work, but the SSA is committed to getting back on a regular schedule,” he assured.  (FW)