Taxpayers burdened by $10-million cost to clean up highway debris

Illegal dumping of debris along sections of the Bull Bay roadway in St Andrew by truck drivers has so far cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

Speaking with THE WEEKEND STAR, Stephen Shaw, the National Works Agency's communications director, said that this illegal practice is a big issue and is urging the police to take a look into the matter.

"It is a major concern and it is actually impeding the work for the (Southern Coastal) highway and it is costing taxpayers millions of dollars because we have to be paying the Chinese (contractors) again to clear. We have spent at least $10 million on that issue alone in recent times," he said.

Debris are being dumped along the roadway that is being cleared for the building of the highway from Harbour View in St Andrew to Albion in St Thomas.

"We are hoping that the police will track a couple people and treat them as examples. We can't be clearing the roadway only for persons to dump their excess materials. This is illegal and is littering," he said.

Shaw emphasised that the debris were not created by the highway contractors, but by truck drivers who are hired by private persons to get rid of their waste.

"It is really a situation where persons hire the truckers to dump the debris at an approved dumping site, but that is not the case as it is being dumped illegally," he said.

A resident of Wickie Wackie in Bull Bay said she and others are disturbed by the distasteful practice, and urged the perpetrators to desist.

"There are a lot of empty lots in my community and from time to time we see persons just dumping on these properties. There are about 50 households here and everyone is being affected. People use to dump here before but now it is really bad. There are times when they will ask persons if they want to buy the materials for top soil and when it is not done, they will just empty the truck and leave it," she said.