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.

Wrong Items at Edgecumbe Quarry - CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION WASTE ONLY

The Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) is reminding all construction firms there are only two sites for disposing Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste; these materials are only to be sent to either –

Edgecumbe Quarry, Bentley Tenantry, St Philip

OR Parsons Quarry, Foster Hall, St George

The opening hours for the sites are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Mondays through Fridays; after hours or on Sundays please notify the SSA.

The permitted materials for these facilities are as follows –

SOFT STONE

DEMOLISHED BRICKWORK

TREE TRIMMINGS

BRUSH

TOPSOIL

UNBAGGED GRASS (NO PLASTIC ALLOWED)

LOGS

LARGE BOULDERS

Not so long ago, the Authority found old appliances at Edgecumbe which were more appropriate for the Bagatelle Metal Facility, and the Authority alerted the Police to prevent any further instances.

There are signs at both sites indicating trucks must pause and liaise with officers before depositing any material(s).

Nevis receives new garbage truck from their Social Security Board

Nevis' Ministry of Health was the recipient of a brand new garbage truck, which was funded by the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board.

The keys to the US$142,000 (EC$384,000) Mack truck, were handed over to Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration Hon. Hensley Daniel by Director of the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board Mrs. Sephlin Lawrence. The important ceremony was held at their Low Ground Landfill late July.

Mr. Daniel said it was no surprise that Social Security engaged the Ministry of Health since its contributions came from workers

“The Ministry of Health has an interest and a responsibility to ensure that workers are healthy so that when workers are healthy they will work and by working they will contribute to Social Security so this is in a way an investment in the workers of the country to ensure that they remain healthy because we want to make sure that garbage is properly disposed off and in addition to that they have an interest in the aesthetic beauty of the country.

“If the country is beautiful the visitors [will] come. The people who work in tourism they will get more work and they will contribute to Social Security. So I want to thank them for being in that philosophical mindset. This is not something that is Social Security over here and health over there but Social Security and Health are intertwined,” he said.

The Minister also made the point that in Third World countries contributions of that nature were often referred to as gifts but they were not because they were derived from workers contributions therefore they should be maintained and should be treated as though they were personal.

Mr. Daniel explained that the Nevis Island Administration through the Ministry of Health did not approach an overseas friendly country for funds to purchase the truck but instead sought to forge a long and fruitful partnership with the Social Security Board.

“What we have done is to seek to build a partnership with Social Security to see if we can do things locally and I am particularly happy that in 1978 when Social Security started I was just about beginning to work with the public service and there was so much opposition to Social Security because nobody wanted their contribution to come out.

“I think more than anything, the institution [Social Security] has demonstrated its commitment to the public. We can look around and see investments in housing, we see investment in education through scholarships and now of course as the Minister of Health, I have to make sure they tip the balance to health as well and so we look forward to a long and productive relationship with Social Security,” he said.

Chairman of the Social Security Board Mr. Halva Hendrickson said the funding came from part of the institution’s annual contribution which was made to both Nevis and St. Kitts in the health services and it was their way of giving back to the people.

Mr. Hendrickson also noted that St. Kitts had faced a similar problem where the garbage trucks had gone bad and private persons had been hired to collect garbage. Nonetheless, he said Nevis was ahead in their request for a new garbage truck.

“In fact in St. Kitts we have a similar problem where our garbage trucks have gone bad and they had to hire some private people but they have not come to us yet but it looks as though Nevis is more on the ball because Nevis is now here [ahead] and they have their garbage truck.

“I suppose what will happen in the end, is that somebody might have to come and say just as Nevis has cleared the way St. Kitts will have to clear the way and follow. So we are very happy to be here and we expect that this truck will be used for the benefit of the people of Nevis,” he said.

Meantime, while she thanked Mr. Daniel and the Social Security board for the new garbage truck, Ms. Carlyn Lawrence Director of the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority explained that unlike the previous garbage trucks, the new one had had a greater capacity to meet the needs of a growing island.

“Waste management is a new thing for us on these small islands. It’s a progression into keeping up with the latest technology and the latest equipment available and so we are very happy to have the truck and we want to say thank you and give you our assurance that we will do everything that we can to take good care of it and keep it going for as many years as we can keep it going for.

“We got this truck because we needed the size, the island is growing and there is expansion everyday. [The truck] has the capacity of containing 25 yards of waste [because of its] compaction. So it can clean an entire parish without having to make a second trip. We are going to ensure that responsible people drive it and that we take good care of what has been offered to us,” she said.

The ceremony was chaired by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Chairman of the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority Mrs. Joslyn Liburd, Deputy Chairman of the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board His Excellency Mr. Steve Rensford, Assistant directors (Nevis) Mr. Elvin Bailey and Mr. Vernel Powell and Members of the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority Board Ms. Hope Merchant and Mr. Ron Daniel.

Consideration when parking needed in Bourne’s Village & Grassfield

The Sanitation Service Authority is reminding all motorists to please park your vehicles so as to allow for the easy passage of all SSA trucks in your neighbourhood – day or night.

In particular, concerns have been recently expressed in both Bourne’s Village, St George and Grassfield, St Philip – people who have large vehicles are especially urged to park bearing their neighbours in mind. Make it easier for SSA compactors to remove waste from all households.

The SSA thanks the public for their active support and co-operation, and let’s all work together to keep Barbados clean!