BASSETERRE, St. Kitts –- An additional afternoon shift will be implemented by the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) to boost its domestic waste collection programme, according to the Honourable Eugene Hamilton, Minister with responsibility for the SWMC.
Honourable Eugene Hamilton, Minister with responsibility for the SWMC, announces an afternoon pickup program to improve domestic waste collection.
“We are doing all of this as we move towards considering waste to energy in St. Kitts and Nevis,” said Hon. Hamilton. He noted that such an initiative will create jobs.
“I believe that for taxi drivers and even some unemployed hotel workers, who may possess the necessary class driver’s license, should be employed as temporary environment and domestic waster collectors until the tourism industry begins,” said the minister.
He added that despite being faced with COVID-19 challenges in the past months, SWMC was able to function as the organization ensured that garbage was collected from households and businesses.
“…We were able to continue our regular programme of removing waste and taking it to our landfill, said Hamilton. “During the lockdown, there was no substantial interruption in the movement of waste from homes.
“You have benefited from the government’s project of waste bins to bring some measure of control and to measure the quality of waste that is being disposed of by our households and our businesses,” he said. “I am pleased that we did not have any interruptions during the period of the pandemic.”
The minister thanked those workers who, despite the challenges faced by COVID-19, continue to perform in an exemplary manner.
