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HMC offers to assist NSWMA in clearing garbage backlog

Published:Tuesday | January 13, 2026 | 12:21 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
Audley Gordon, executive director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), speaks to the media while Sheenique Johnson, corporate services director, looks on during an NSWMA press briefing on new operational measures to expedite debris rem
Rudolph Brown/Photographer
Audley Gordon, executive director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), speaks to the media while Sheenique Johnson, corporate services director, looks on during an NSWMA press briefing on new operational measures to expedite debris removal, held at the NSWMA head office on Half-Way Tree Road in St Andrew yesterday.

WESTERN BUREAU:

With the National Solid Waste Management Authority’s (NSWMA) Western Parks and Markets seemingly struggling to address the massive pile-up of garbage across Hanover in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) has offered to assist in clearing the backlog.

An agreement was reached to formalise the arrangement between the HMC and Deona Bennett, the NSWMA’s senior public cleansing inspector for Hanover and Westmoreland, after the latter tabled a report at a HMC meeting that the NSWMA would not be able to clear the Hanover backlog any time soon.

The HMC is to provide heavy-duty equipment (front-end loaders) for some days, while NSWMA has agreed to provide at least three tipper trucks to work in specific areas over the next three to four weeks. The clean-up programme was set to begin on Sunday.

According to a written report tabled by the NSWMA at last Thursday’s HMC meeting, for the month of December, there were some 12 districts in Hanover Eastern with uncollected household garbage, and 29 such districts in Hanover Western.

The main problem identified was a shortage of trucks to facilitate the timely collection of garbage. While the NSWMA claimed that it was making regular collection, all seven councillors at the meeting disputed the claim, saying collection, in some instances, took three to four weeks.

Bennett acknowledged that they are down to three trucks, from a total of four, and will be seeking to transfer another unit from another parish to assist in the collection in Hanover.

“We are moving resources from Westmoreland to assist in Hanover until that downed unit is up,” she said, while noting that town centres, police stations, schools, health centres and main roads are currently being given priority attention.

Lucea Mayor Sheridan Samuels used the opportunity to press Bennett for the NSWMA’s clean-up schedule, saying residents are now resorting to the unhealthy practice of burning their garbage.

It was against that background that the councillors decided to help the NSWMA to clear the backlog.

“We need some tipper trucks in this parish for the next two to three weeks every day, can we get that?” Samuels asked Bennett, adding that if the NSWMA could provide the trucks, the HMC would provide loaders.

Bennett said she would have to speak to her superiors to see whether the collaboration can be facilitated.

MORE FUNDS TO CLEAR DEBRIS

Yesterday, the NSWMA said it has received an additional $1 billion from the Government to begin clearing the approximately 500,000 truckloads of debris that resulted from the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

NSWMA Executive Director Audley Gordon noted that the sum is in addition to an initial $500 million it received shortly after the Category 5 hurricane devastated much of the island.

He was speaking during a press conference at the NSWMA head office in St Andrew.

The NSWMA also announced that a Debris Management Committee has been established to provide the operational and administrative oversight necessary to clear the debris in parishes that were substantially impacted by the powerful storm.

Gordon explained that the temporary operational unit, made up of a director, two managers, and other staff members, will focus solely on the daily management of employees and local contractors who are working on clearing the debris.

“We could not do the two things (regular operations and debris management) at once with the same leadership, focusing on both and doing them successfully,” he said.

The committee will utilise the 10 tipper trucks that were recently handed over to the NSWMA, in addition to engaging with private trucks, local labourers, and heavy-duty equipment operators to clear debris from the various areas.

Additionally, the NSWMA plans to collaborate with scrap metal dealers to salvage and repurpose materials from the debris taken from hurricane-damaged communities.

Gordon disclosed that 27,000 truckloads of debris have already been cleared. However, noting the scale of the remaining work, he urged the public to remain patient as the NSWMA completes the recovery process.

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