SSA boosts garbage collection as new trucks arrive

The island’s garbage collection capabilities have been further boosted with the arrival on Thursday of nine new trucks for the Sanitation Service Authority’s (SSA) fleet.

This is the second set of trucks. The first, which came in last month, comprised 12 vehicles, bringing the number to 21 of the total consignment of 26 that were ordered to bring relief to communities needing the service across Barbados.

The latest set comprises five collection trucks, two skip trucks and two tipper trucks.

In recent weeks, residents across several parishes have complained of overflowing bins and unsightly pile-ups due to a decline in rubbish collection services. Acknowledging the challenges faced by affected areas, SSA Chairman Ramon Alleyne gave an assurance that the authority remains focused on improving service frequency in the new year.

“The intent is to be in a position to offer improved frequency of service in the New Year. We have plans to bring the fleet up to the numbers that would allow that increase. Once we settle the logistics, we will announce what the increased frequency will look like within the first quarter of next year,” he explained in a recent interview with Barbados TODAY.

Alleyne highlighted that an optimum fleet size of 50 or more trucks is required to adequately service all parishes.

He said: “The optimum plan is to bring the fleet to 50-plus. That will allow us to implement the increased frequency across the island. We recognise that we will need in the region of 50-plus to be able to deliver that kind of frequency.”

The SSA chairman also emphasised that the new trucks, varying in size to accommodate different road conditions, will ensure an island-wide improvement.

He said: “We have areas that have been feeling the pinch. The idea is that we have brought in varied sizes, such that we have the trucks available to go into the different districts depending on road size and space, which has been a problem previously. So, it’s island-wide; this is not for any one particular area. The idea is island-wide improvement.”