A breakdown of trucks in the fleet of the Dominica Solid Waste Management Corporation (DSWMC) is being blamed for a pileup of garbage in many communities in Dominica.
DNO has learnt that garbage has been piling up in communities from Salisbury all the way to Soufriere for up to six weeks, in some instances.
A villager from Salisbury describes the build up there as a “breeding ground for rats, cockroaches, and flies.”
“I am a concerned member of the village of Salisbury, also a health care professional. Something needs to be done about all that garbage in the village it is just not healthy,” she told DNO via email. “We teach tidiness to prevent certain illnesses but how can this be fulfilled when our village is a breeding ground for rats cockroaches flies all of which are contributors to certain sicknesses. I am calling on the ministry of health not only as an employee but as a member of the village Salisbury. This situation needs to be dealt with before the weekends. This has been so over 6 weeks; this is not healthy, not at all.”
General Manager of the DSWMC, Florian Mitchel, told DNO on Friday that the normal garbage collection is being hindered by mechanical issues of the trucks/fleets.
“We are experiencing issues with our fleets, I mean, given the amount of equipment and the workload,” he said. “Right now we have about two vehicles working at the same time. I think we should be able to put up one before the end of the week and another next week. So that will again help us to speedily get rid of the waste. The major issue is fleet issues, fleet breakdown. That is the major issue.”
As an alternative, Mitchel encouraged residents to engage in recycling to cut down on the amount of garbage that is exposed in the environment.
“We all have a role to play in ensuring that we reduce the amount of waste that we put out for collection, make use of it, then you would have less garbage out on your kerb. So that issue of backlog will not be seen in our communities,” he said.
In terms of recycling, Mitchel said that there is a “serious, serious problem” in trying to make people actually get involved in the activity.
He added that the company realized that the present system of waste collection, that is, truck/fleet collection, “was not the best,” and so, the recycling system was the next best thing.
“We noticed that the present system of waste collection was not the best method of waste collection. We needed to improve on the service that we were offering,” he said.
He said that garbage will be collected in areas such as Mahaut and Newtown today, Friday 26th May, and in Salisbury over the weekend.
Are you serious? Two vehicles in a fleet serving approximately 298 sq miles? Two vehicles are inadequate to service Roseau and environs, much less the entire island. Don’t you expect the vehicles to experience regular breakdowns? Consider the distances that he vehicles have to cover to haul garbage to the landfill. The management of the operations is very poor to say the least. The needs to be a massive investment in new equipment and better management of the operations.
Breakdown of trucks is a BIG LI!!!E AN UNTRUTH! I know a certain young man who bought a garbage truck and the truck is in perfect working condition, and he is not getting work. Give the red garbage truck a job to help clean up the mess. You all are too lie and wicked!!!!!
first of all, the word Fleet means you have more than one vehicle with in a group of vehicles. for example my fleet (Not fleets) of garbage trucks composes of 12 flatbed trucks and and 0 proper garbage trucks. On the other hand, you can have more than one fleet, in this case, we have fleets of garbage trucks in various islands. In Dominica we have a fleet consisting of 12 flatbed trucks and 0 proper garbage disposal trucks. Now, i always say, the only reason why we are still the nature isle, is because we are severely underpopulated. WE throw anything anywhere. not everyone, but a majority of us here do. and it is shameful. why doesnt Solid Waste invest in recycling machines, compacters, crushers, material sorting machines etc. Waste is big money these days. shredded plastics, glass, even wood and various scrap metals have value. lets clean up the country. Some times we cannot even resurface a road because it is lines with derelict vehicles from roadside garages. lets have some class
Their trunks have not been used for ages, get somebody from outside to come and fix them. The people have no idea how to keep them in good shape, or how to run them.
I can identify with the pain that Dominicans feel with all this garbage all over. We see it and it is really an eye adage. We know that many consequences like diseases and death like Leptospirosis can come about because of bad management. We concentrate on it because we see it and indeed we must fix it with the help of the Government: but,
What about the garbage which we cannot see inside of us which can also bring about sickness and death by the demonic rats? Don’t you think that it makes sense that we clean it up with the help of the all mighty God Jesus Christ? It hurts, even worse we continue to ignore it and live in it. Don’t you think that there will be consequences if we don’t get rid of it?
before you respond, think about it.
All the glory and praise belong to him, Jesus Christ!
Nice so the Evil “Dr Supremo” said at parliament that $297,000.00 was paid for a party in Dubia, for dominica 30th anniversary, Nice, So how many and who’s the average people that got an invite to the party
$438,000.00 to purchase vehicle for him and charlo 
$129,000.00 for the U.N. ambassador and $105,000.00 for the consular representative, in new york cars 
that’s a lot vehicles. And they forgot to purchase a garbage truck for us “malaway” 
Hey general manager Florian, tell the “supremo,charlo, and the ambassador’s stop “rolling” in expensive vehicles. And does the ambassador ever heard of the train and buses in new york. It must be Nice abusing tax payers dollars. we all have a role to play
Garbage lying around is not a beautiful and healthy sight.
Is this not a shame that the trucks broke down and therefore there is no garbage collection? This is bad management.
Hurry and have them repaired or hire a few trucks to get rid of the garbage before some people become ill.
who ever is managing the solid waste should be fired with immediate effect. this is gross incompetence and is totally unacceptable.
now people with children and irresponsible father will get cash in hand in order to take care of their children.Why not invest in some form of business and employ the father? Cash handouts are taking place; why the country is not reproducing anything to increase or improve the economy.Olt trucks dating from the days of Christopher Columbus should have been replaced by the gov’t because rubbish should be picked up daily in order to prevent the proliferation of pests such as rats and flies.The more the pests will get food to eat the more they will reproduce and spread diseases. There are too many projects that are not a priority in Dominica that is being built and the most important are left out.It is a shame that so many handouts are taking place in Dominica while the most important are neglected. Leptospirosis and plague are dangerous killer diseases.When will we learn to put priority before handouts in order to get a ballot?This has to stop because the consequences will be…
A breakdown of trucks in the fleet of the Dominica Solid Waste Management Corporation (DSWMC) is being blamed for a pileup of garbage in many communities in Dominica.
The high probability is that the trucks are not being serviced according to the service schedule…. and are driven until they break down one after the other..resulting from a lack of discipline, order and proper organisation in the management at various levels..This is a fairly widespread defect in how we handle things..
Very true. We lived in Dominica 6 years and saw very inconsistent trash collection.and we noticed that Dominicians tend never to maintain anything.
For weeks now I’ve been hearing many callers to Q95 complain about this very problem of lack of garbage collection be the company set up by government to do so.To state that it’s only a matter of fleet of trucks is foolish and irresponsible.There are no vehicles that can work full time without having some downtime for maintenance and overhaul.With that in mind and with the surcharge being collected by government for garbage collection and disposal then there should not be the fleet problem.Also if there is a problem with the trucks can’t the company hire private vehicles temporarily to remove the eyesore.We constantly hear from Skerritt about giving Dominica a bad name so tell me what does this unsightly ,smelly fiasco across the country do for the image of Dominica.Skerritt , everything you touch goes bad,I wonder why
Waste refuse… garbage and more garbage, the evidence is all around in D/ca and steering the people in their faces. However, they don’t get it because the PM has rubbed them of any inner fortitude and replaced it with handouts.
PM your downfall is steering you right in your face… it’s just a matter of time.
This government is something else. Real evil!!!!
Solid Waste Board was not interested in the services of those who could help move the corporation move past those hurdles . They were more interested in political victimization. This article is again proof that when this happens it is the people of the nation who suffers the most. Yet, this madness will not end.
There are consequences for us all if this is to continue. So many truck owners in Dominica. If try get paid properly, to put a tapolin in their trucks and go collect our rubbish I am certain they would be willing.I do not mean that they have to physically pick up rubbish- but if l know a truck passing by my home l would be more than willing to put my rubbish on the truck and still give him a cola for helping me. On another not we need to be taught how to separate rubbish properly and recycle!
All this talk about increasing toursism. How can you increase the number of people visiting our “nature island” when you can’t even remove the huge piles of garbage for its citizrns? How can you bring in more tourists when things like water coming out of our taps is so inconsistent and unreliable? The beaches are strewn with plastic. There’s trash everywhere. Is this the kind of image we want to project on the world?
Exactly – and how can Dominica be branded as a nature island when garbage is strewn all along the roadside and on the beaches? Cleanliness should be one of the island’s major priorities.
With the number of open back trucks in the island it should be no problem to hire a number to collect garbage.
I say bring back the skip system. We never had that problem before. Also we need another garbage dump in the east or north of the island.
An alternative to that is to give every household a pubelle so that will avoid the garbage disposal on the roadside.
Its heartening to know that all the country’s rubbish goes to one land field. How long will that land field last? There’s definitely reasons to have another land field on island
we need at least 5 trucks in the island
All political jokes aside what rubbish them man doing there… A couple years ago I see them man passing with a dumpa with two piece of woood on the side to hold garbage I checking what koshone I seeing there… All that money all you giving man to buy rum and plywood and allu cyanna get 4 garbage trucks? And teach them man to take care and mentain it? Gosh man.
No garbage pick up in Wesley for over 4 months. A sad state of affairs for the Nature Island, where there is nothing to REDUCE, everything is RECYCLED, and also everything is REUSED.
I am sure mr. Mitchell knows exactly what he needs to operate a smooth, efficient and environmentally friendly refuse service. say with a weekly collection of household waste.. It would appear that he does not even have sufficient vehicles to enable him to effect preventative maintenance on a rota basis. He needs extra, spare trucks to be able to do that and what is happening now, hiring unsuitable trucks from private contractors is false economy. Let him set out his plans, if he has not already done so and provide him with the necessary resources so we can justly present an image as a nature isle and be proud of it. We should be able to brag to visitors about our garbage collection service.
The real problem is this,….. One can have a million trucks for garbage collection , but if one does not invest in high quality trucks at the start, and have well paid competent mechanics to maintain them, it’s a waste of tax payers time and money…
Finally, if one does not have a competent Public works Minister, and office, then no matter what trucks are obtained, the operation is doomed to failure….. This is what’s happening people………. This is the easiest way I can explain this situation …
You forgot to say a competent Finance Minister who is not corrupt and does not see some aspects of our lives as ” Throwing money in a Ditch”
Pay Public Works Workers and use them to help the Garbage situation until You get proper trucks !
Do I have to say SEE BEE EYE?
DNO,
Call the Minister for Garbage or the PS of Garbage for a policy perspective on this urgent matter!!
Perfect time for a garbage revolution. Venezuela has introduced the poopoo revolution by tossing faces at members of the security forces that abuse them on behalf of madman Maduro and its working just fine
. Now I am asking people from across the island to get wheel barrows, buckets, donkeys, screw-tars, vans , pickups , trucks , car trunks or whatever it takes and dump your collected garbage on any major highway in your village. Let then send the political officers in the SSU and SB to clean it up. Just maybe they too will realize labor kar-mal-twavaye. Just maybe Robbie and Blackmoore will help them clean up. Don’t leave the garbage close to your house because its unhealthy. Dump, dump, dump now!!!!!
Assertive like Moses’ rod!
Perfect time for a garbage revolution. I am asking people from across the island to get wheel barrows, buckets, donkeys, screw-tars, vans , pickups , trucks , car trunks or whatever it takes and dump your collected garbage on any major highway in your village. Let then send the political officers in the SSU to clean it up. Just maybe they too will realize labor kar-mal-twavaye. Don’t leave the garbage close to your house because its unhealthy. Dump, dump, dump now!!!!!
Assertive like Moses’ rod!
Better still, dump it in front of the Finance Centre and the State house. That will bring some immediate response. trust me. And now Roosevelt Skerrit adding to the problem by subsidizing pamers. Does he licve in Dominica like the ordinary people do?
Instead of using the CBI money to buy votes,it would be better to buy a garbage truck,to obviate the onset of disease in this failed Dominica…HOLD STRONG SALISBURY!Love you guys,you all are doggone deserving of respect!!!
This mess/filth,together with MONFARED,COROLLO,TREATING,BRIBING,MADUEKE,LAPSENG,,,will destroy our good name,Dominica.
SKERRIT MUST GO!
SKERRIT MUST GO!
SKERRIT MUST GO NOW!
Here’s the problem people. It “appears” that Solid Waste is not getting the Environmental Surcharge on ALL imported products collected by Customs. In other words once you buy any goods in Dominica you are playing that tax.
All of Dominica should rise up at this nonsense.
if there are ten communities/villages in dominica, we should have ten trucks, one per village….. just like 365 rivers flowing to the see and we have one hydo electrical station. . instead they want to mine for electricity and destroy our environment
forward thinkig mooks..
tebeh people
That’s a reflection of the management style of the Dlp. Nothing works in Dominca, because the government is in total break down.
Imagine, the nature Isle, with loads of gabbage everywhere. It’s very disgraceful.
i think if the rest of dominicans were like SALISBURY PEOPLE then we would get results…… if every community throw the garbage in the middle of the road and block traffic, see how fast CBI would bring some trucks here. they would fedex those trucks…. what a wicked and heartless government.
Read my comment above…I just LOVE the Salisbury people!!! Guess they dont beg,so they are independent!!!
SKERRIT MUST GO!
SKERRIT MUST GO!
SKERRIT MUST GO NOW!!!
i betting if i buy a garbage truck i wont find work
..if you buy a red one, you stand a chance..
I forgot this on Roosevelt Skerrit that Mountain Chicken Carpaud (crapo) Mentality Sly Eye Sir Knight Me Almost Nearly Cousin Indian Dr. Punjab, Indian doctor of nothing Roosevelt Skerrit said the rest of the Caribbean; and the world will use Dominica as an example to develop their towns and cities, when he is finished with building Dominica, Roseau in particular!
I suppose what we see in the pictures the world will participate, that is Skerrit model of the new Dominica, and the rest of the world eh!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha!
Dominica is the richest, most beautiful, most prosperous, place earth, where Fitzroy said only God can fixed, however, he said if we are looking for a human to take the place of God, Roosevelt Skerrit is the man (the god)!
Well they said that the 18 million dollar Bridge was the newest and best Bridge in the Caribbean
So now we have the newest and best health hazard in the Caribbean and Mr. Volney that is no exaggeration
It is simply ridiculous that we do not have proper garbage trucks to collect garbage on the island. Why I’m I even surprised. If we could not provide protective clothing and other equipment for the men and women who clean our streets, new working trucks is a stretch. The Mayor of Roseau is silent on this issue. Robbie is also silent. Health Minister is silent. It seems like Skerrit caused all of them to turn moo-moo. You only hear them talking when they distributing CBI monies to the boys who wear “Red.” Labor really working hard boy. They working hard to increase the rat-population and the diseases that they carry.
Breakdown of trucks hinders garbage collection , its a shame because every year as long as there is a new suv or pickup out the government would perchase multiple for various locations . I think the funds should be invested in a few garbage trucks.
Well, yesterday, that Blanchard woman was in the parliament running off her mouth, spreading false rumors, and lies; telling people that Dominica is the most beautiful place in the world!
I do not know what sort of substance she got her high on: causing her to have gone into some acute delusional state, and for a moment hypnotized the other shallow minded idiots in the parliament, who clapped their hands at every stupid comment she made regarding this primitive nature island.
I wonder if what the world is viewing in the pictures are an example, of how beautiful is our country. The large collection of garbage, and the dilapidated structures, all indicates the beauty of the nature island! They say the longer, and more some politicians babbles, it only gives us the opportunity to see how mad they really are!
When those with a conscience stand up to this foolishness, you call them traitors, but you have a waiting health hazard on your hands with garbage all over the place. You gloat about a few yards of concrete that was poured in the Botanical Gardens, while locals will soon be overrun by rats. Every man, woman and child in Dominica should march down to the Government Headquarters and demand immediate action from the government on this issue. As minister of tourism, nothing from Robbie about a contingent plan to address this issue.
Well Mr. Ismael, don’t expect anything from Robbie . If El Supremo turns a corner suddenly I guarantee you two noses will get broken and stuck up his backside. The noses of Robbie and Mr. Piper. You see, these guys are clueless
Assertive like Moses’ rod.
shame the government can buy 2 good trucks from the CBI money that’s what our tourist have to see when they visit.
I recommend government buys about 50 trucks while there is still CBI monies left. We can use about 5 trucks till they are decommissioned. Our troubles with cabbage would be solved for the next 50 years at least.
God, good man, We need more cabbage, you are right, we can eat them. Learn to spell before the come and grab your “waist”.
I love “cabbage”. One of the leafy green vegetables. It is healthy for us.
Check out Google to get some “cabbage” recipes. They are surely not garbage.
We have ten parishes in Dca and I have always said that solid waste should have t least 10 trucks (1 per parish) to keep the country clean. Solid Waste cannot keep the country clean because they are ill equipped and understaffed. So much CBI money being handed out to buy votes while this nature isle is smelling from garbage. DLP have to destroy this country for us to learn. Laybar Kar Mal-twavaye!!!
Assertive like Moses’ rod!
This entire statement from the boss of the Dominica Waste Management Company, speaks to the stupidity, lack of vision and foresight that exist in Dominica. When the Public Works Department was operational, the skilled mechanics there learned how to service these trucks. By disbanding the Public Works Department, you destroyed a capable institution and the service that it provided to the entire country. Garbage removal is one of the most basic functions of government. In 2017, only two trucks are operational, but CBI money is flying all over the place. This entire band of corrupt fools is the bane of lovely Dominica. How do you expect tourist to come to Dominica and spend their hard earned money in a place that’s filled with smelly garbage and the rats that are sure to follow.
I agree. Without a well-equipped and competently staffed Public Works Department we are at the mercy of every mechanical breakdown and road failure. Of all government departments, it is the most essential for the efficient functioning of the island.
You are on point. Common sense is like a rare commodity in this place.
Can some CBI money be used to buy new trucks to allow efficient garbage collection?
Her is a solution, please collect all plastic bags recycle into garbage bins and distribute island wide for a small fee. Get three garbage trucks and have on a five days a week schedule. Charge small fee for monthly garbage pick up.
we pay environmental levy on every item which comes into the country, why should we pay to throw rubbish… idiot
You pay environmental levy yet you all keep accepting crap. It’s amazing.
We are already paying a 15% levy tax on our monthly rubbish collection, so what small fee are u talking about?
Then there should be no problems with collection and disposal. Why do we settle for mediocrity? Especially after paying 15 percent levy. It is the responsibility of citizenship to know how much taxes collect from such levy and ensure the funds serve it’s intended purpose. Too much talking and not enough action and solutions.
This has been a continuing issue over the years , this is not just happening today, and all the people in charge are taking a back seat on the issue, what is the role of the health minister, seat back and pick his nose? , this a serious health issue , bu bionic plague , ibola and other health issue is next Dominica, just wait for it, all the money skerro said that he collected from selling our passport in parliament this week why cant he buy some new vehicles for the betterment of the country, why ?.
just wondering why can we help ourself it have o many people that have truck in dominica.. we can come together as one an get rid of the garbage
And how efficient is that to pick up garbage with sharps and no protective clothing or equipment whatsoever.
They should start by throwing you in it, ….. What rubbish you talking there dread?
You’re missing the point as usual. Garbage collection needs to be a well thought out and well executed responsibility of the government and local municipalities.
Waste collection is not a communal and collective effort, it is the responsibility of a government.
As for recycling, why are there no recycling initiatives and equipment on the ‘nature island’. A bit of an oxymoron methinks.
Absolutely ridiculous.
Rats say thanks to Mr. pm.