Sanitation removes just under 8,000 lbs of litter over long weekend to ensure City drains are ready for Rainy Season

The Sanitation Service Authority and the Drainage Department of the Environment Ministry have removed 7,200 lbs of food containers, silt, waste, as well as both plastic and glass bottles from City drains from the weekend ‘til May 5th, so as to be ready for the rainy season.

This ongoing project is a joint effort between Sanitation, as well as the Ministries of the Environment and Public Transport along with other Governmental departments to not just clean Bridgetown, but ensure it stays clean.

Maintenance began since 15th April on Roebuck Street, other areas included; - outside of the City Centre car park, along St Mary’s Church, by the Old Town Hall which now houses Barbados Tourism Investment Incorporated, Cheapside, Fontabelle, Baxters Road and Fairchild Street. Early on the morning of Tuesday 5th May, SSA teams tackled drains along Tudor Street.

The Authority – whose mandate includes the drains in and around the City – will also restore drains and continuously maintain among other areas including; Spencer Gap, Harbour Road, King William Street, Spring Garden, Eckstein Village, Chapman Lane, Barbarees Hill, Westbury Road, Kensington New Road and Chelsea Road in the near future.

Food donation from the SSA arrives at crucial moment for HIV/AIDS Food Bank

The Management and Staff of the Sanitation Service Authority have been collecting non-perishable goods for the HIV/AIDS Food Bank during the month of April, and its delivery on the last day of April assisted that organisation when they needed it most.

All departments of the Authority were invited to contribute various items like toothpaste, canned goods, pasta, boxed-juices and other similar foodstuffs and toiletries. The donations were coordinated by Executive Secretary Jan Husbands, who noted that the major contributor to this initiative was the City Depot & Public Bath on Reed Street.

When the goods arrived on the morning of April 30th, one of the Food Bank’s volunteers was elated – Ms Kelly Morgan stated the food bank was exhausted and had nothing else left to give to its clients.

Food Bank Manager, Ms Donna Barker, told SSA Manager Stanton Alleyne of her wish to see corporate Barbados to follow the SSA’s example of organizing similar donations, even going so far as to “Adopt-A-Shelf” where companies can select an item and amount and look to donate that target each month.

Mr Alleyne stated how pleased he was to be a part of giving back to the community, and he reminded everyone to do their part to help the HIV/AIDS Food Bank and call them at 467-9399.

SSA Collection Details for April & May 2009

The Sanitation Service Authority would like Barbadians to please note the collections concerning National Heroes Day and May Day 2009.

Tuesday 28th April 2009, refuse collections run their normal routes and both Mangrove and Bagatelle disposal sites will be open from 6:00 am until 2:00 pm.

On Friday 1st May 2008 all SSA departments will be closed,

 including all disposal sites and the five national cemeteries.

The Authority is reminding the public that the SSA cleans up before and after any special events – call us at either 430-5019 or 430-5052. Let’s keep Barbados clean at all times!

Remember; do not set out any refuse until 6:00 pm on the night before your next collection. SSA Management and Staff thank the public in advance for their support during these holidays.

CO Williams Alert - St John, St Philip & Christ Church

The C.O. Williams Construction Team has started excavation work from the Consett Bay entrance (near St. Mark's) through to the turning point of the Transport Board bus at College Savannah and no traffic will permitted through this section during the day.

Work continues on shoulders of the ABC Highway between Lowlands and the Chickmont Roundabout where you must exercise additional caution; Grading and concrete curb work continues between Eastbourne No1 and No 2 on the Wellhouse, St. Philip project and traffic will be detoured through River Land; while at Cox Hill the road is closed where trenching work is being done.

You are reminded that the C.O. Williams Construction team also continues work in Belleplaine from the junction at East Coast Road to Soil Conservation at Haggatts, St. Andrew which is closed to all traffic while excavation work is done during the day and alternate routes must be used. 

That roadway will be reopened at night, BUT particular caution MUST be exercised. The C. O. Williams Construction teams thank you for your understanding, cooperation and kind consideration as they move the earth to please.

GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO 4R’s PHILOSOPHY

The Barbados Government has reiterated its commitment to the three R’s philosophy – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – and has added a fourth – Recovery!

This commitment was recently enunciated by Minister of the Environment, Dr. Denis Lowe, while addressing the launch of the University of the West Indies’ Recycling Initiative at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination.

“Government…is absolutely committed to the 3R’S philosophy of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, and at the launch of the 3R’s fair on September 13, 2008; we introduced a 4th – Recovery – as part of Government’s commitment to adding waste-to-energy to the equation for addressing solid waste management in Barbados,” the Minister told the gathering of recyclers, university officials and other guests.

Making it clear that returning items for reuse or recycling was “not a new practice for Barbadians”, Dr. Lowe cited the Returnable Containers Act of 1986 which, according to him, had “worked well” to reduce the amounts of glass and plastic containers entering the landfill. He noted, however, that it did not adequately address other containers.

“For this reason, the Act is being revised to ensure that it is more relevant to today’s situation, as the number and types of items that can be recycled have increased,” the Minister explained.

Minister Lowe, however, stressed that several types of waste were still being recycled on the island, including paper, plastics, glass, ferrous and non-ferrous materials, cooking and automotive oils, newsprint, cardboard, batteries and other electronic wastes.

Dr. Lowe said Government was also embarking on a number of initiatives including the establishment of the Solid Waste Management Centre at Vaucluse, St. Thomas. The facility will include a transfer station for the processing and sorting of waste; a chemical waste storage facility; as well as a materials recovery and composting facility.

He added that Government was also examining the feasibility of pursuing a number of waste-to-energy options, including incineration and the conversion of landfill gas-to-energy. (CG)

Sanitation’s Collection Details for the 2009 Easter Weekend

The Sanitation Service Authority would like the public to please note all details for refuse disposal over the long Easter weekend…

On Good Friday, 10th April 2009, all departments of the Authority will be closed.

On Saturday 11th April 2009, both Mangrove and Bagatelle will be open for regular business and all burials scheduled for the five national cemeteries – Westbury, Christ Church, St. James, Bushy Park & St. Peter – will run as per normal.

On Easter Monday, 13th April 2009 normal collections will resume. Both Mangrove and Bagatelle will open from 6:00 am until 2:00 pm.

Sanitation also provides cleaning services both before and after any special events – call us at either 430-5019 or 430-5052. Let’s keep Barbados clean at all times!

Don’t set out any refuse until 6:00 pm on the night before your next collection. The SSA’s Management and Staff thank the public and wish all a safe and blessed Easter weekend.

Barbados' Sanitation Manager presents Certificates after completing refresher on 4-Day Seminar for Mechanical Workshop

The Sanitation Service Authority has presented certificates to eleven participants to a refresher in the RTA Fleet Management Software Systems for members of the Mechanical Department after a four-day workshop.

 

The seminar was prepared by Ron Turley Associates to conduct hands-on training to streamline and improve the department’s maintenance of the Authority’s vehicles; Technical Support Manager Bill Lawson hosted the course.

Ron Turley Associates developed this computer programme to assist the Authority in capturing and recording vital information on the vehicles as they perform their tasks daily.

 

The SSA’s Manager Stanton Alleyne says the objective of the seminar ensures participants in familiarity with the RTA Fleet Management Systems and its components. Once applied correctly then Management and users can make important decisions on how to maximise service on various routes.

In addition, by training members of the Mechanical Department in this workshop, they become multi-skilled and fulfill the Authority’s mandate of institutional strengthening.

Included among the features in this software;-

·        Financial history from purchase to scrap

·        The number of repairs done on any given vehicle

·        What parts were used and their cost – also logging who did the repairs

·        Service history, downtime, fuel and oil usage, etc.

 

The Authority’s Manager presented certificates to eleven members of the Mechanical Workshop who found the course very rewarding and valuable. 

In addition, a presentation of mementoes of Barbados to Mr Lawson was done as a token of appreciation for his excellent service.

Town Hall Meeting at Ellerton Pavilion on Wed. 04/02/2009

The St George South District Emergency Organisation with the Ministries of Environment & Health will be hosting a Town Hall meeting at the Ellerton Pavilion at 7:00 pm on Wednesday 4^th February 2009.

This meeting is for the following areas only – Lower Brighton; Waverley Cot; Mt Hill; Ellerton Development; Ellerton Housing Area; Ellerton, Good Intent; Eastlyn and the Bulkeley Terrace areas – persons from the community will be brought up to date on the best ways for combatting illegal dumping and the benefits of recycling.

Talks at the Ellerton Pavilion will be given by representatives from the Ministries of both Environment & Health.

This town hall meeting is for all residents only from – Lower Brighton; Waverley Cot; Mt Hill; Ellerton Development; Ellerton Housing Area; Ellerton, Good Intent; Eastlyn and the Bulkeley Terrace areas – they’re asked to make a special effort to attend the St Ellerton Pavilion at seven o’clock, Wednesday night on 4^th February 2009. Together, we can all keep Barbados clean!

BARBADOS' MINISTRY OF THE ENVIROMENT RELEASE – RE: OFFICIAL OPENING OF CITY DEPOT AND PUBLIC BATH, REED STREET

This opening holds a special significance for the Authority, as it enters its 40^th year of service to this country. The Authority’s mission is to create and sustain a clean environment aimed at improving the health and welfare of all Barbadians.

Government thanks the City depot staff for their hard work over the years operating under limited circumstances. Now that better facilities are available we know that you will continue to give good service. It is a joy to see how clean Bridgetown is kept by SSA workers from as early as 3:00 am. and stays clean until 7:00 am - but it is sad to see how dirty the City gets by 8:00 am, Barbadians need to be more considerate and keep Bridgetown tidy.

The public must also do their part to assist staff of the Authority in keeping Barbados clean. Barbados is our home and we should all take care of it for ourselves and visitors alike.

As most of the world experiences downturns in their economies, it is even more important for us to preserve the beauty of our island and keep it clean so that it remains a popular destination for visitors who seek a respite from hard times.

This depot is a part of our Government’s effort to ensure the workers of Bridgetown have pleasant and modern surroundings from which to operate.

Looking back momentarily… The City Depot was once housed at Temple Yard, where the Old Town Hall Centre is now located. The depot was then temporarily located to the old St Mary’s School. We want to thank the Anglican Church for renting us that location.

After years of seeking a permanent location one was found right here at Reed Street.

In 1997 a decision was made to construct a new depot and Kero Construction was awarded the contract to build this complex.

Having a depot located in Bridgetown is key to keeping the City clean. It allows push-carters to have easier access both to the streets and their headquarters.

The workers operate from here, and they are responsible for washing the streets and cleaning the drains of the City. It should also be noted Bridgetown has 13 collections per week - Monday to Saturday twice a day as well as on Sunday mornings.

This site was previously a bath which was operated by the Authority. This complex has all the latest amenities. We want those who will use the public bath to take very good care of it bearing in mind that any repairs will cost the taxpayer, and this means all of us. The City Depot and Public Bath is also showing the way forward in proper environmental practices by reusing the rainwater from the roof. Rainwater is stored in a reservoir at the rear of the compound and pumped out to wash down the dumpers and other vehicles at Reed Street.

Collecting and disposing of refuse is not just the job of a Sanitation worker. It is everyone cooperating together!

All City businesses need to remember they must flatten their boxes and bind them into bundles before disposal; alleyways need to be kept clear for the Authority’s vehicles and emergency vehicles such as Fire and Police to have easy access when they need to reach trouble spots in a hurry.

Broken glass should be wrapped in newspaper then bagged and placed in the middle of a refuse bag before disposal.

The SSA is concerned with finding adequate locations for stationary compactors, skips and bins within the City. We would like to work together with all interested parties in finding locations.

Over the last year, This Democratic Labour Party administration has provided more affordable housing for many Barbadians. This has led to more houses and developments across the island. As a result the Authority is constantly refining its collection routes. The Authority is working with all relevant Government agencies to maximise on the old routes and streamline new areas to ensure everyone gets two collections per week, although the statutory requirements are one (1) collection per week.

In an effort to improve its service the Authority is undertaking a number of initiatives:-

• The public bath at Speightstown is under renovation and is expected to be completed soon;

• The baths at Green Park Lane and King William Street will be demolished and new ones will be constructed during the next financial year.

• Re-training mechanics in fleet management systems;

• Ensuring that the roof of the Mechanical Workshop is repaired in this financial year;

• The refurbishment of cemeteries as part of heritage tourism in 2009-2010. This will also include repairs to the chapels at all five national cemeteries and horticulture training for staff.

• Conducting a survey of the current collection routes in an effort to improve collections;

• Acquisition of open-backed trucks to develop a regularised Bulky Waste collection.

On the topic of bulk waste, the Sanitation Service Authority in conjunction with other government agencies and the private sector will continue its bulk collections in every parish.

Government remains committed to the proper management of Solid Waste practices with modern technology for the collection and disposal of waste. The Government of David Thompson is also examining waste to energy and waste diversion options.

The Ministry of the Environment, Water Resources and Drainage also intends to create legislation to prosecute anyone caught littering. Illegal dumping must be stamped out once and for all.

Government also intends to procure new equipment for the Authority and to improve its human resources.