SSA seeks ministry’s help to deal with illegal dumpers

The Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) has asked Ministry of Health officials to intervene in the recurring illegal dumping situation in Mount Standfast, St James.

Carl Alf Padmore, public relations officer at the SSA, told Barbados TODAY that despite the entity’s best efforts to address the growing environmental and health problem on the site located in Stonehouse Road, residents or vendors plying their trade in the area continue to violate the law.

“This situation here is one that we would have addressed on a number of occasions. The most recent being at St James Speak, where we would have received complaints from residents and we went and cleared the area and placed a [No Dumping] sign. Now, it has to be a sign of defiance or disrespect when the SSA can have a sign there and residents can be so bold, [to still illegally dump].

“The SSA is therefore calling on assistance from the Ministry of Health in this matter,” Padmore said.

The SSA spokesman added: “We would have tried moral suasion; the supervisor of the northern depot would have gone to this area and would have spoken already to the persons down by the beach. We would have spoken to residents, but we don’t seem to be getting any cooperation in this matter.

“I think that we need to do better, and we can do better. The SSA has tried on a number of occasions to bring this matter to a conclusion. We are therefore seeking help in this matter.” (SB)