General Manager of the Dominica Solid Waste Management Corporation (DSWMC), Florian Mitchel has called for more legislation for the protection of the environment.
At the closing ceremony of a climate change resilience workshop, on Wednesday, Mitchel lamented the lack of relevant legislature to punish environmental offenders.
“Though we have implemented pilot projects, and the public normally participates, there is nothing binding an individual, or if somebody put out a material at a day or time that they’re not supposed to, you cannot do anything to that individual,” he said.
He stated that the DSWMC hopes for the introduction of a Packaging Act, to ensure that manufacturers assume responsibility for the disposal of their products.
“We are also looking at Packaging Law or a Packaging Act. It would basically have the manufacturer of that material be responsible for that material,” Mitchel explained. “So, since you can produce it, under that Packaging Act, you could be responsible for ensuring that the disposal of it is done in an environmental way.”
Mitchell revealed that environmental legislation is still being drafted. He said that the current fines under the Litter Act are laughable and in need of revision.
“We were looking at our ticketing system, under the Litter Act, the fines need to be reviewed or revisited. According to our Litter Act, the fine for littering is $25, which is not a deterrent,” he articulated. “And, the enactment of the environmental legislation, I know it is there in draft stages for a while now, and we’re saying all those things need to be done.”
In February, Minster of Health and the Environment, Dr. Kenneth Darroux, revealed that Cabinet gave the “green light” to establish a special environmental court, with a special magistrate to look at environmental offenders, and deal speedily with environmental issues.
However, Mitchell said that, presently, he is uncertain as to the functionality of the court.
“Environmental court: we’re not too sure if it is functional… so, we would want to see that become functional,” he stated.
They should look at greatly increasing the fines for littering.
A similar scheme to ‘Crime Stoppers’ should also be looked at.
Mr. Manager
Why don’t you try enforcing the existing legislation? There is a Litter Act as you say. Don’t try speaking for the population by assuming that $25.00 is too low. I would not want the nuisance associated with a fine even if it is $25.00. Work with what you have until those are improved. I don’t think the problem is lack of legislation.
You have a PR officer, let him do regular education sessions on the radio because Dominicans are getting to the stage where they buy a box of Kentucky chicken and figure they can just drop it where they were eating.
If I understand your proposal, isn’t it impractical or even irrational to make Mr. Nassief responsible for Kentucky boxes wherever they may be found across Dominica? Or PIWI ice-cream for the containers wherever they are dropped? or Island Ice Cream pop corn boxes wherever they are dropped after purchase? Or Perky’s Pizza for pizza boxes wherever they are thrown after eating? Think about it sir!
I recall writing to DOMLEC about its crews littering. Never received a reply.
The basic problem is that most Dominicans litter. Because they are stupid, ignorant, and/or selfish.
There is not even a domestic trash recycling program in effect – not that I see where I live.That is the FIRST thing the manager of DSWMC can do instead of dreaming up new laws.
First thing the government can do is pick up the garbage from all over Dominica left largely by Dominicans, from empty drink bottles and foam food containers to rusting cars in various state of dis-assembly.
As someone indicated above, trash containers are missing all over Roseau and elsewhere in the island. The government does not need any new laws to provide them and more importantly to collect trash from them on a daily basis.
One policy worth looking at by the government is the CDL or Container Deposit Legislation. It provides incentive for the public to recycle and the unemployed to make a little income by collecting containers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_deposit_legislation
Dominica may be looking like a Nature Island when the name was coined many years ago but it is soon going to look like a giant landfill if the current conditions are allowed to continue without any drastic measures taken soon. Even on the Wai’tukubuli trail I found discarded drink bottles.
We cannot even enforce those we have now
booooom!!
more laws should not be the focus.
enforce dem.
Such an attitude can come back to hunt every one of us,it is a health hazard,rubbish is a good source of food and shelter for rodents.Pest disease which can wipe out a very large number of people ,rats urine causes eptospirosis which also causes death ,liver failure,cardiovascular (heart) problems ,renal failure and more.The gov’t should supply bins,notices should be placed in specific areas so that the public can see that is is illegal to throw rubbish in the wild and when caught they should be punish severely to make an example to others,encourage people to burn their own rubbish could help also,,,this is not a good picture for visitors either ,what image will they have on the visit ,i can only think that this is a negative image for us all.
Not new laws needed existing ones just need to be enforced.
You remember the Noise Abatement Law? You may never read a more well written, well put together piece of legislation. Yet, you have seen what some rum shops with few groceries on their shelf, 2 or 4 or 6 big speakers outside their door blasting their neighbors with impunity, the government and the police do nothing for the neighbors who call begging for help. Happens in many parts of the ISland, especially Grandbay is the worse. Some are only selling a few bakes, acwa and beer and due to complacency from the police and government they even erect hugh sound system permanently by the roadside. The law has been written but no enforcement in Dominica.
Life is not difficult but some people could make it so. There could be too much talk and no action.
Education is key which should commence from youth, while they are attending school.
Enforce your already enacted Laws.
Inform the public that this Law will be enforced and charges laid if caught littering.
Officers should patrol those areas day and night. This could be a deterrent in addition to charges laid for those who are caught littering.
Increase the fine for littering.
Sounds simple. Why not take this action?
The government and local government are not making garbage disposal easy for the average Dominica citizen. If the garbage truck does not pass or you miss the garbage truck’s schedule what available avenue do you have to dispose of your garbage?
Where in Portsmouth are you able to dump your garbage in the absence of timely and available garbage collection???!!! It’s frustrating!
Florian then DSWMC would be the first to be prosecuted because garbage collection schedules are not adhered to because the trucks are a hazard to the very workers. The population of rodents is increasing because garbage is piled up all around like travelers awaiting pickup to the airport. Talk, talk, talk is all we do. When the country gets serious about waste disposal then we can talk.
That ….. government want to call for more environmental laws? Really? When you walk around the place how many disposable garbage bins do you see? None. All you cut back on the garbage truck staff that used to take care of the garbage by the roadside and all you complaining? Look at the nasty state in which you all have Roseau. Hypocrites!!! Dominicans do right nasty up the place. They making it look like your government, nasty, dirty, and ugly.
I agree with you bro..we just talk about environment. .waste disposal and littering and not enough robust legislation to have offenders pay and to deter would be offenders. You just go to our beaches and you will see the number of plastic and glass bottles on the beach . man as a Dominican it hurts me when I see the kind of garbage on our beaches..go to the beach at Point Round and take a look….awa man!
Smdh. Which manufacturer is going to assume responsibility for where people dispose of package material. You guy crazy. We do not manufacturer anything so I guess we have money to go after international companies. This kaw would be impractical and unenforceable. Dominica problem is not for lack of laws. It is enforcement and prosecution that is the problem. It’s in every aspect of our society. According to Dr. Darroux it’s my padna so I am not writing him a ticket. Even after they do one phone call to minister X and ticket disappear. What the MOH need to do is create a set of comprehensive guidelines through consultation with environmental professionals, health proffesionals, and other scientist and engineers for waste disposal, cleanup, remediation, site rehabilitation, recycling etc and make available the necessary equipment and instruments to do tasks. I bet my last dollar our landfills are not properly designed. There are probably no liners, no Wells to monitor leachate
no waste characterization, no methane gas monitoring and venting, no building codes near landfields, no soil or water testing guidelines or certified labs and a long list of issues. Even if there was, there is no enforcement and codes are disregarded. Just like the Constitution and every other law. Selective enforcement is even worst.
Having said this I know lots of environmental professionals out there who have real experience. If DSWM and MOH put out a request with contact information I would gladly help free.
If they can’t enforce the little laws that are in place now, what makes him think they will if they change the fine amount?
Everything in Dominica is only talk and for a season.
Look at the traffic laws. We’ve all seen police officers and government workers in G license plates breaking road laws, not wearing their seatbelt, etc and then they will want to charge and ticket the ordinary citizen.
Ever thought of enforcing the ones that are already on the books?
Laws are not going to do anything to influence people’s habits unless the authorities are prepared to enforce them vigorously.
If anything an education campaign would be much more effective to get people to alter their behaviour.
Florian, you have my sympathy. I would be happy if existing legislation was enforced before we even start thinking about enacting further laws that are bits of paper without teeth. When was the last prosecution, never mind conviction for illegal dumping in Dominica? If you were to mount a campaign of enforcement you would have my ready support.
No point having laws if nobody is held responsible to enforce them.