The man sitting as the head of the organisation charged with public cleaning and solid waste management has labelled some Jamaicans as out-and-out “nasty”.
Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) Audley Gordon has given that tag to persons who believe that it is totally all right to dump garbage illegally, especially in gullies, and who are under the big misconception that others get jobs to clean up after them.
“(Some people) assume that they can just throw things in the gully or throw things out there because there are some people employed by the Government who will clean it. And (anyone who believes that) they are giving these people work or ensuring security of tenure for their job, is just nasty!” Gordon told The Gleaner shortly before the start of a Rotary Club of Kingston meeting at the Alhambra Inn in Kingston recently.
Gordon highlighted that all sorts of national hazards arise out of instances where persons just dispose of garbage whenever and wherever.
“When garbage is thrown around and deposited all over the place like that, in irresponsible ways, it creates all sorts of health hazards. It gives breeding grounds for rodents, and that in itself has its own sets of challenges for the health of the nation. It creates an unsightly effect on the environment and the aesthetics of the country.”
He appealed to all to operate as good citizens should by ensuring the beautification of the island.
“We have a responsibility to keep our surroundings clean. We don’t go around and just dirty up or surroundings. That’s not how we operate as good citizens. A good citizen wants a clean society and wants to play their part in fostering that clean surrounding. Jamaica’s beauty must be our collective duty, not just the duty of the NSWMA.”
“Every man, woman, boy, and girl has a stake in a clean environment. We should all be concerned about that. This is not just for workers of the NSWMA,” Gordon said.