Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Government says it will undertake an island-wide derelict vehicle removal programme, commencing this fiscal year.

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie, speaking during his 2024-25 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (May 28), disclosed that the National Solid Waste Management (NSMWA) will be obtaining eight specialised Scout trucks that will collect solid waste from hard-to-reach areas in communities across the country.

He articulated that the Andrew Holness administration continues to improve public cleanliness through historic investments in collection units for the NSWMA, which is responsible for public cleansing in the Corporate Area.

McKenzie outlined that the NSWMA will be focusing on removing old cars and other types of bulky waste, which are eyesores and health hazards. 

The minister admitted, “the NSWMA has been tagging these old vehicles and now with the acquisition of four brand-new crane trucks,” will be ridding communities of these derelict vehicles.

NSWMA facing numerous criticisms 

Conceding that the NSWMA has been facing a number of criticisms, McKenzie explained that the public cleaning agency has been working to clear backlogs thus ensuring consistency in collecting residential waste. 

“I know the challenges that the leadership and staff are tackling and they have my total confidence as they work hard to rectify the problems in the field. The addition of 50 new compactor trucks to the fleet has resulted among other things in over 1.1 million tonnes of solid waste being collected over the last financial year,“ the minister told the House of Representatives.

Continuing, the reported that eight of the 50 trucks are exclusively being used to address backlogs and are making a big difference.

“I can assure this House and the country that national public cleansing efforts will intensify this year. In keeping with this Administration’s commitment to substantial investments in the NSWMA, another batch of 50 assorted trucks are arriving as we speak,” McKenzie said.

Ten of these trucks are already here and the remainder are on the way with the minister saying, “their deployment across the Regions will lift the standards of service to a new level. This will go beyond general improvements in public cleansing.”