To improve public health and environmental conditions, the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has launched the Bulky Waste and Derelict Vehicle Removal Programme for St. James, beginning in the Catherine Hall area and expanding to other communities in Montego Bay.

The initiative, which commenced on Thursday (August 8), forms part of a broader national clean-up effort, aimed at mitigating the risk of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases.

Audley Gordon, executive director of the NSWMA, emphasised the importance of the clean-up exercise in battling the threat of dengue.

“So, part of what we are doing is to fight the disease through the medium of the bulky waste clean-up exercise. Catherine Hall is a very populated community, and it doesn’t sit well if we have things like these just tossed around,” Gordon explained.

He noted that Catherine Hall has long been plagued by the presence of discarded bulky waste and derelict vehicles, which serve as prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Additionally, they also harbour rodents and other pests, further worsening the health risks to the community.

By targeting these vehicles for removal, the NSWMA aims to disrupt the mosquito life cycle and reduce diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, Gordon said.

“Today, we have 14 trucks, such as the crane trucks, tippers, compactors, everything, which is a combination of government and private trucks, that will be taking part in the operation around Montego Bay and the general St. James area,” he noted.

In the meantime, Gordon outlined that the Government-mandated national clean-up has been yielding significant results, with the NSWMA removing more than 2,000 loads of bulky waste from various communities across Jamaica.

Mayor of Montego Bay and chairman of the St. James Municipal Corporation, Councillor Richard Vernon, expressed his gratitude for the NSWMA’s efforts and emphasised the importance of a clean and safe environment for the city’s residents.

He said the clean-up operation will target specific areas, including Barracks Road, Railway, Paradise, Norwood, Perry Street, and other communities where illegal dump sites and bulky waste accumulation have been identified as contributing to mosquito breeding.

“Some time ago, we launched the STEP-UP programme, and we started to eradicate some illegal dump sites. We also met with several people who we believe contribute to the illegal dumping, and the groups that contribute in such a way that would produce the buildup of derelict vehicles across the city,” Vernon added.

“We gave them a reasonable time to get their house in order before we carry out further operations. Now, that time has expired and we are now in full gear to carry out the enforcement exercise,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for St James West Central, Marlene Malahoo Forte, underscored the Government’s commitment to providing reliable waste management services to its citizens.

She urged the public to dispose of waste properly and refrain from illegal dumping that not only creates an eyesore but also fosters the breeding of rodents and mosquitoes.

The programme will systematically expand to cover other parishes in Western Jamaica.