Debris floats in harbour

The Kingston Harbour, the island's main port of entry for goods, was inundated with debris last Thursday, following the passage of Hurricane Sandy.

Debris which included bamboo, tree trunks and plastic bottles, washed up to several areas on the terminals.

There were no reports of damage to equipment or property on the terminals as a result of the hurricane. However, the debris which floated up to the berths contributed to loss of productivity time.

This underscores the need for better waste management in the city, not only to eliminate pollution in the harbour, but also to protect trade as vessels bringing cargo risk damage to propellers as a direct result of debris in the harbour.

In the absence of adequate waste management infrastructure, maintenance dredging of the harbour will be required every time it rains.