Holness praises NSWMA workers, signals tougher action on public littering

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has praised long-serving employees of the National Solid Waste Management Authority, saying their work is central to Jamaica’s public health, disaster recovery, tourism image and daily life.

Delivering the keynote address at the NSWMA’s Long Service Award Ceremony, Holness thanked workers being recognised for 15, 20, 25 and 30 or more years of service. He said many had reported before dawn, worked through rain, heat, floods, hurricanes and years of limited resources, often without the level of public appreciation their duties deserved.

The ceremony also heard that many workers who had spent years on short-term contracts have now been placed on the permanent establishment. Holness said he sought an update before speaking and was told that more than 2,000 employees had been made permanent, with a commitment to regularise all who qualify. He said stable employment gives workers and their families greater certainty, while helping the agency retain experienced staff.

Holness also pointed to government support for the NSWMA’s fleet and operations, including compactor trucks, motorcycles for enforcement officers, pickup vans and 10 tipper trucks provided in December after recent hurricane recovery demands. He said the authority’s role becomes even more urgent after disasters, when debris, damaged material and blocked gullies can create fresh public-health risks. He commended NSWMA teams for work done in Black River following Hurricane Melissa.

With the hurricane season under way, Holness said the agency’s Operation CAM would focus on clearing flood-prone communities of bulky and solid waste, guiding residents on their duties, using community leadership networks and keeping a visible presence in vulnerable areas.

He urged Jamaicans to secure household waste properly instead of leaving bags and containers exposed to animals, wind or passers-by. While acknowledging gaps in trucks, collection schedules, sanitary landfills and transfer stations, he said those limits made citizen responsibility more important, not less.

Holness said public order efforts would next place greater focus on littering and “travel waste”, including bottles and containers thrown from vehicles or discarded while people move about. He said a ticketing system modelled on road traffic enforcement, with modifications, would be used against improper disposal in public spaces, alongside public education.

He closed by telling awardees that their labour supports Jamaica’s homes, schools, hospitals, hotels, businesses and wider economy.