EDITORIAL - Illegal dumping still a concern
First of all, Government should be commended for increasing the fleet of trucks assigned to collect the garbage across this county. No one is likely to forget, anytime soon, the piles of garbage that accumulated across the island last year – where week after week there were pleas for Government to do what was necessary to address the problem.
Fortunately, those pleas did not fall on deaf ears. It is understood that some 23 new garbage trucks have been acquired and are out there working. Those trucks bring the number in the fleet to
approximately 35. It was a costly venture but indeed a necessary one, as having garbage on our streets was posing both health and environmental risks.
Now while these trucks are hard at work and the garbage is being moved, if you take a drive across the island there are still some places where you see garbage being dumped – from everyday household refuse to bulk items like old appliances and furniture. For many years the authorities have been urging Barbadians to desist with the practice of illegal dumping because of the negative impacts such an activity can have on the environment. It was thought that when the tipping fee was removed this practice would have come to an end, but it has remained a problem, though admittedly not as rampant as before.
The truth is, persons are callously dumping all manner of items in our gullies and sometimes even the side of the roads, and it is becoming quite clear that the State will have to take a firmer stance to impede the actions of those who persist in this illegal and dangerous activity, if there is to come a time when we no longer have to contend with this problem.
We have all seen the various signs erected at points across the island informing people that dumping at a particular site is illegal and they could be fined or prosecuted if caught, yet there are loads of garbage piled up right in front of the sign. Certainly this speaks of a society that is indifferent and irresponsible and the authorities have a duty to take a stand.
They should also take into consideration the numerous complaints from Barbadians, particularly those living in rural districts, that garbage indiscriminately dumped was blocking the natural watercourses and putting their homes in jeopardy. This could be very devastating for persons in areas like St. Joseph and St. Andrew which fall within the slip-prone Scotland District. But, we are not only talking about people who dispose of old stoves, washing machines or even vehicles in our gullies, but lawless people who as they traverse this country throw bottles, boxes and plastic bags through vehicle windows, which also contribute to flooding. These items, though small, can block the natural watercourse and create situations where the water has to find other places to travel. In some cases, the water is able to move some of the objects, but it will only move it down stream, so it will still be a problem for someone later on.
Years back it was suggested that surveillance cameras might be a solution. The idea was that such devices could be installed at popular dumping spots in an effort to catch people in the act, and bring them before the law courts. This is perhaps an idea that the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification can utilise going forward. They also have to encourage a culture of recycling and mandate that Barbadians sort their garbage and recycle wherever possible. Each and every one of us has a part to play to help bring about a change – by changing how we behave at an individual level, would redound to the benefit of the nation as a whole.