PM slams waste management practices; may consider garbage collection fee

“I think at some point the government has to consider a small fee for garbage collection in Dominica.” Those were the words of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit during a special interview held on State-Owned Radio DBS recently.

He argued that there has been a growing sense of disdain for the environment and cleanliness and tidiness.

“We have our responsibility, you cannot take your garbage from a village and just dump it there in Bornes or in Dos D’Ane or in Mero or in St Joseph and you are not even from Mero or St Joseph,” Mr. Skerrit remarked.

He believes that this part of the garbage and littering in Dominica is both an individual and community challenge, “…I think we have to show people and teach them good waste management practices at schools, at communities and nationally.”

Mr. Skerrit pointed out that there is nowhere in the world that he knows of where people don’t pay for that service. “And it’s a huge cost,” he said.

He added, “Sometimes the trucks get damaged and they are down, this is where some of you have a difficulty in garbage collection from time to time, but it is not because the truck is down that the place has a lot of garbage, it is because of our practices.”

Furthermore, the Prime Minister believes that the public should not be relying exclusively on the government for the collection of garbage.

“I believe there has to be greater responsibility on the part of individuals and businesses,” he said. “I mean, I don’t think people should be relying exclusively on the government to come and pick up your garbage at your homes.”

He continued, “First of all you are not paying anything, secondly people are not practicing good garbage management practices. People want to send everything to Roseau, to Labass [Fond Cole Landfill].”

Skerrit encourages persons to dig a hole in their backyards to place perishable waste.

“I understand somebody in Roseau doesn’t have backyard space, but every one of us in the countryside have backyard space,” he stated.

“Dig a hole in your backyard and put the perishables, put the leaves and the dried branches.“I live at Morne Daniel, I do not send any perishable items to the solid waste site…”

He explained that he uses them as compost.

Meanwhile, Mr. Skerrit encourages members of the public to inculcate that spirit and attitude of cleanliness and beautification, noting that he is, “very unhappy” with what persons do with regards to the environment.

“We cut trees, we don’t plant trees, we destroy trees, we destroy plants,” Skerrit remarked. “We have to love beauty, we have to love cleanliness, we have to love the environment and we must not only say it, we must practice it as citizens.”

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16 Comments

  1. Former Heineken Saints
    January 16, 2025

    Padna, you made it clear to the Dominica Masses that you run things in Dominica.
    you even express your stupidity when you made statement of the like, “lABOUR will look after Allu”, “Dominica is too free”, Allu don’t have to pray but just come to me and will help”
    so for you to now backtrack on all this you’re just confirming that you are empty.
    I don’t understand what some Dominicans find in your leadership that have left they so dilutional.
    Anyway, when you speak its only noise, nothing sensible ever comes out of your mouth. Such a laughing stock to the world

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
  2. We the People
    January 16, 2025

    What is happening to the environmental charge being paid on imported goods cleared through customs?

    Is it being passed on the Dominica Solid Waste Managment Corporation?

    DNO please find out for us.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
  3. Mel Houston
    January 16, 2025

    I read this, the guy is out of touch. Failure doesn’t require a threat, to charge a fee which is a no-brainer. We are already paying extra for water, thanks to the political hack hired to manage/chair our water due to his experience in St.Thomas a desert.
    We are not communist so we expect a small fee, go ahead charge the small fee and get garbage managed. It’s a basic basic right, very basic.

  4. L C Matthew
    January 15, 2025

    The picture reflects the state of our government if you ask me. all of these are the fruits that the societal tree bare. Roosevelt loves to deflect blame. Before another fee is levied we need to know for what purpose we added environmental levies. These had to be passed in parliament and before enacted had to be assigned to a particular use. Legislation means laws. so tell us how much was collected and where was it used. if not used as appropriated then we need to clean the garbage that pass for government first.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
  5. Total waste
    January 15, 2025

    Mr.does talk nonsense eh….charginga fee will not fix this garbageproblem…put policiesinplace to fix such..u not fixing those problems in Dominica u just playing politics…behind those high walls u have for them to throw it…u have Dominica in one set of mess and you not prepared to fix it….u there defending maduro…take your time …your time is indeed coming…nothing lasts forever…..put that in your pipe and start smoking 🚬 bunch of f vagabonds Dominica deserve much better than that…

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  6. Bob
    January 15, 2025

    I don’t know where Skerrit and all these commentators live, but I live in Dominica and I already pay the village council for garbage collection. The problem isn’t with people it’s with the service: inadequate investment by the government in refuse vehicles, proper landfill (Fond Cole is already way over capacity), recycling, a ban on all single use plastic. So, screw you Skerrit. I already pay for your sh*t waste management service. I bet you don’t pay a cent.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
  7. MEME
    January 15, 2025

    Is this a Nature Isle or a garbage isle?
    It adds to the already repugnant stench of the gutters in Roseau.
    What a shame!!!
    That’s how we promote tourism here, because Dominica is an exception to the rule.

  8. Mark
    January 15, 2025

    A reasonable garage collection fee is definitely in order. The fee will allow the authorities to provide more reliable and efficient service to residents.
    Like the PM said, there is no place in the world where one doesn’t pay for garage collection. I would suggest adding the fee in the water bill to ensure everyone pays for the service.
    Too much freebies on island. We do not have a large enough tax base for government to pay for all those services. It’s high time we up our game on island and start contributing to our overall development.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 4 Thumb down 18
    • ce ca
      January 15, 2025

      The fee can be implemented when the salaries increase like everything else on the island. Or the PM can pay the fees when he stops pocketing the people’s money that pays for his rent at Morne Daniel (1 months rent can buy 4 garbage trucks.)

      Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
    • Ibo France
      January 16, 2025

      Dominicans are hugely overtaxed. This is emblematic of a grossly incompetent government.

      I have said this before but it bears repeating. When a government is unable to collect household waste, has the country looking unsightly like a pigsty, having the foul odor of
      decaying perishable foods permeating the atmosphere, that government has lost the right to govern.

      The rate at which Dominicans are taxed it as though all they work for is to pay taxes fees and bills.

      What a decrepit country! Smelly! Unsightly! Beggarly!

      Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
      • Mark
        January 16, 2025

        It would be helpful to readers if you produced evidence of all this “over taxation” in Dominica. I am going to repeat myself, too much freebies on island. Free parking in Roseau, free garbage pickup, free NEP cleaning of neighborhoods. What is this? Why should NEP be responsible for cleaning my neighborhood for free? Nonsense
        This sort of freeness doesn’t exist anywhere. No pay, no play. No pay, no say. When you pay for services, you can make demands, when you don’t, you are at the mercy of the authorities.
        My recommendation is for government to change “reasonable” fees for services rendered. That’s the only way we’ll be able to see things the way they ought to be. Clean drains in Roseau, well maintained streets, well maintained neighborhoods. It takes money to get things done and properly maintained.
        It is time to step up our game and play our part in the cleanliness of our country. It belongs to all of us. Stop complaining and get to work.

    • Mel Houston
      January 16, 2025

      No worries, the new water chairman from the baren no-water Virgin Isles already took care of that extra water fee to the best of their ability. 🤠

  9. ce ca
    January 15, 2025

    So the garbage truck can come and pick up rubbish at your mansion in Morne Daniel every day without an issue, and you don’t pay for it. I hope when you implement the charge you will pay them like everybody else and the truck will pick up the rubbish on time. I have no problem with persons disposing of compostable rubbish as they should but it does not solve the issue of having DSWM not picking up the garbage on time. I have seen the garbage truck picking up rubbish in areas often enough so why leave so unattended for so many months?

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 0
  10. Help us Lord
    January 15, 2025

    Same thing he said the morning Ross University announced they were leaving Dominica. In fact he even said he was going to suit Ross. Where is the law suit? All this man can do is lie to and deceive the people

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 0
  11. derp
    January 15, 2025

    I agree with the perishable waste, that shouldn’t be placed in the garbage and if people can compost they should, however not everyone has the place to do that, how about create a government compost facility to employ local people and generate jobs? You can even sell the compost. Again why not allow people to drop of their own rubbish to LABBASE huh?! When we know for a fact the government collection is a waste of time these days and piling up!

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
  12. take what allu get
    January 15, 2025

    It’s probably them same laborites causing all that garbage problem. The kind of mentality that votes for a government that promises to take care of all their needs instead of creating an environment of economic opportunity that ambitious people can take advantage of. A government that gives handouts to get votes while having taxes and duties on everything you need to do business.

    So take what allu get stupid laborites. That is what your glorious leader thinks of you. A bunch of nasty idiots who can’t manage your own garbage. Go and dig a hole in your backyard because the government don’t have money for a garbage truck because they already spent it on the house the gave you

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 3

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