As a concerned citizen I would like to get this to the attention of those concerned.
There is what I consider wicked dumping going on along the roadside in the Antrim and Springfield area. I don’t know why persons would choose to dump their galvanize and other house materials on the roadside. However, Solid Waste might want to investigate and take some actions.
We need to take better care of the environment and I consider this to be deliberate and wicked.
There is also house materials ( couch, sheet rock etc) dumped alongside the road and into the valley in another spot prior to this one (not sure if this area is Antrim or Roger).
Also, in the area in Antrim where the road is broken, almost on a daily basis I have seen bus passengers and other persons in private vehicle choose this spot ( the valley) to dispose of their bottles, empty boxes of KFC etc. People, this is not only nasty and ugly but it is hurting our environment. There are so many boxes and takeaway containers thrown there, dogs are now roaming there waiting for their next meal from the scraps in these boxes.
There is nothing wrong with holding your garbage until you get to a garbage bin or to your home.
As citizens of a country we boast to be the nature Isle we ought to do better than that. STOP IT
The attached picture is close to the Springfield bridge. ( just before Bridge)
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There’s just no end to this ignorance because the authorities are simply not in a hurry to stamp it out by taking the requisite drastic action. In the vicinity of Morne Abbat just above Rodney’s Rock, a listed dive site for international divers, dumping of all kinds of trash occurs regularly for years now, from that road down into the water. Coming in a southerly direction from Tareau, careful observation would reveal somtimes, the entire slope littered with garbage. A welcome sight to divers or passing yachts. Like the noise abatement act the littering act is just another toothless old mongrel in Dominica’s laws
This is disgraceful. We need to start taking greater care of our country. This is our home, our children’s home, and that of our future. This is our economic, financial and social drive which brings us stability and comfort. Why destroy it? What is going to happen when we destroy it? At the end of the day, we need to act responsibly ALL OF US!!. I full agree that solid waste needs to take action and put their foot down. I see “NO DUMPING” signs all around and people still dump right next to those signs. However, we cannot pin the responsibility of “all eyes an ears” jobs on DSWMC or even the person who sent in the article. It is a job of us all. Discourage each other from dumping, teach others not to do so and most importantly, like the person who submitted the report, report the people we know and suspect are doing this. Let us take care of our country people.
Hidden mobile video cameras need to be installed to get license plates and vehicle descriptions and there should be $5,000.00 fines and if unable to pay jail time. Monetary rewards should also be offered to people for turning in those who litter and dump garbage. First impressions are lasting impressions for tourists and with Facebook and Twitter the word of all the garbage and trash strewn all over Dominica spreads like wild fire. Under cover persons with arrest authority should patrol the areas to catch polluters.
The Nature Island of the Caribbean – Bravo!!! The only reason why we can still call ourselves that is because we only have about 50,000 people who actually live here still. But those that there, majority of them are pigs. Throw anything anywhere. From private citizen to the employees in corporations. Anything anywhere. I watch people throw their trash from buses daily. I watch dump truck and concrete truck operators empty the rest of their loads on the road sides and in our rivers and ravines daily. You say something to them they was to curse you. We have lost all our pride. the majority of people we have left in dominica have no reverance for their communities and environment. Only about self. Self righteousness and greed. No real consideration for others, for our future. That is why we are in the state we are in today. Now why would u just discard your trash on the roadside like that? have you no shame?
IF we had 50,000 more dominicans is now you would see nastiness.
Honestly, this comes down to the pride we have as Dominicans and the respect we show to others and the environment. Whether tourists will be affected by the unsightly scene or not should not be the only concern. We should also try to get to the root of the problem. Is it the MOH’s fault? Is it the behavior we demonstrate to our children (e.g. throwing out waste packaging from vehicles while driving), is it what we don’t teach to our children (e.g. no emphasis on beautifying the environment)? Is it culture? Is it ignorance? The problems that result are not only health or tourism problems. What, other than the fear of being fined, could lead to more pride and respect for ourselves in the long run?
There is a lack of civic pride in the country. No one who is proud of their country would want to create eyesores by dumping refuse indiscriminately or have derelict vehicles strewn all over the landscape. Civic pride should be part of every school curriculum. Heavy fines should be imposed on those who litter or dispose of their garbage in unauthorized spaces. There should be an urgent initiative to rid the streets, public and private lands of all derelict vehicles. The way you treat and keep your environment speaks volumes about the kind of people you are. Be kind to the environment.
My suggestion to DNO is that you send your own reporters around Dominica and take photos of the indiscriminate garbage disposal and expose it for the world to see. If MOH is failing/ignoring/omitting/disregarding or simply does not care about their responsibilities, we will help them. You should set up a GO FUND ME page to aid in transportation for the reporters.
We will see how soon it will take for the officials as well as the citizens to act. One picture of a village or roadway or coastal area per week will do the damage!
We, the persons against that level of nastiness and wanton disregard for cleanliness will fund it.
You are not serious, are you? What do you think exposing this to the world will accomplish? Change our people’s practices? Definitely not. Even though the Ministry of Health and Solid Waste try their utmost, people must play their part. Displaying such to the world only gives the world a negative perception of us. This is an internal issue that is to be dealt with by ALL, the schools, NGO, CBO’s, Public and Private sectors, Local Media, Civil Society and ALL. Why not encourage DNO to publicize the beauty of this land instead?
Roger you are absolutly right.🚝😧
Yes it is disgusting, how would the dumpers like it in their yard. They have no respect. You want tourist to come and stay, they would say for get it.
I am a tourist for the last 20+years and the dumping has gotten worse. How about the car dumped in the ravine, which has happened lately.
If possible , i would like to return the garbage. I am very angry, sad, and disapointed in the people of Dominica, their should be a hefty fine, and make to pick it up.
I agree 100% with this writer because I have seen this situation for the past two weeks and i’m saddened at the behavior of my fellow citizens with this indiscriminate dumping of waste along the main road when we all have access to the landfill.
Other observations:
1. What is the role of the Ministry of Health re. imposing fines for persons caught dumping waste in places other than the landfill? (prior years, there were signs in strategic areas, also the environmental health officers who worked hard to ensure that persons upheld the law)
2.Along the route to the south east(near the village of Morne Jaune), there is a small spring where people fetch drinking water: This is another spot where persons dump mt bottles, plastic containers and sort of waste : result blocked culverts, mosquito breeding..alas
3. Burnt vehicles left by the the owners as an eyesore and also a hazard for drivers
MOH, kindly step in and address these issues
Well said!
I am forever picking up discarded bottles, cans and fast-food containers from the roadside at the top of my drive. A couple of months ago a pick-up was left abandoned on my neighbour’s land. It is still there.
When I last counted there was eighteen abandoned vehicles along the one and a quarter mile stretch of road between Antrim and Canefield. This is the same road that daily carries tourists to Emerald Pool, etc.
Mind you, the road itself at Antrim remains in a disgraceful and dangerous state. No answer is forthcoming from the Ministry of Public Works as to what’s to be done about it. All correspondence goes unanswered and telephone calls are never returned. This state of affairs has been going on for eight years!
I forgot to add the dust. A white cloud is kicked up by passing vehicles and perpetually hangs over Antrim, thus constituting a serious health hazard.