On the Corner | Sandy Gully dump - Drewsland residents say poor garbage collection forcing them to use the gully

Sections of the Sandy Gully that run parallel to the Drewsland community in St Andrew have been turned into dump sites as residents claim that garbage collection from the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is inadequate.

Piled in large sloping heaps, garbage lined the banks of the gully yesterday, offering flies and rats a feast and residents of the community an unbearable stench and an eyesore they say they have endured for years.

"It is one of our worst nightmares. One of the times, Tank-Weld really gave us some (garbage) skips on the banks and the garbage trucks would come in here regular," said Sonia Lettman, a senior in the community.

"But the people them start throw rubbish in there and light it, and from that now, you know the skips burn out."

This happened about a decade ago, said Lettman, adding that Tank-Weld later returned and collected the damaged containers. Since then, she said, the NSWMA sends a small garbage truck to the area twice a week but that that is insufficient to collect the amount of waste from the community.

ORDEALS WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH

Lettman's comments followed Monday's Gleaner/RISE Life Management On the Corner with Unattached Youths forum in Drewsland. The garbage issue was among burning concerns raised by the residents. They said they are forced to dispose of waste in the gully.

"How it look so? The people them don't have anywhere to throw it, so them have to throw it in there," retorted a stern Marie Vaughan, noting that the stench and mosquitoes from the piles are ordeals they just have to endure.

"We not going to say that we don't know that it is wrong to put the garbage in there (gully), but most time, we honestly just don't have any choice. We need them to provide a bigger truck, and we need it to come more regularly," said Vaughan.

Audley Gordon, executive director of NSWMA, said that he has ordered an investigation into the severity of the Drewsland situation.

He also noted that smaller trucks were usually preferred for those communities.

"Due to the narrowness of some roadways, the NSWMA utilises smaller units, popularly known as 'scouts', to carry out collection activities. In areas where we have proven it inadequate, we will increase the number of collections [in] the area," he said.

corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com