February 2nd, 2016 -- General Manager of the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) Alphonso Bridgewater has a number of ambitious goals for 2016, which include increasing productivity, conducting a human resource audit and increased enforcement of litter and waste disposal laws and regulations among others. Mr. Bridgewater has made it clear that the SWMC will continue its aggressive drive to see persons comply with the law as it relates derelict vehicles and overgrown properties.
In fact, the Corporation has seen much success in the last year, as it has overseen, with the help of the police, the removal of 175 derelict vehicles. “Over the course of last year in conjunction with the traffic police and the environmental health department we moved 175 derelict vehicles and sometimes people still feel nothing is happening. Just for last year there were 62 different cases where people were given tickets for overgrown properties and various other things,” Mr. Bridgewater said.
From a management standpoint, Mr. Bridgewater would like to see the board of the SWMC more involved in the work of the Corporation. A new board has been installed since the change of government. “While we are getting them involved, they’re getting an overview of what is involved as far as Solid Waste Management is concerned and some of them come to the board with particular skills and knowledge. We want to tap into those skills and knowledge to be able to enhance the quality and performance,” Mr. Bridgewater said.
Mr. Bridgewater is also keen on seeing to it that the work of the SWMC and its impact on society is well known in the community, even among the Ministry of Health of which the corporation falls under. “We want to know that the Ministry of Health, the government basically speaks to what impact Solid Waste is having. Are we truly an essential service and if such would we be treated in terms of the tax exemptions, concessions, financial support etc.,” Mr. Bridgewater said. He added that it is the hope that SWMC can quantify this impact so it can get the kind of financial support from government that it truly deserves.
On the issue of human resources, Mr. Bridgewater said a human resource audit is being conducted to assess the competencies of the SWMC. “By the end of the first quarter, we would have already made some changes and addition to staff based on the recommendations but this would require the input of the board as well because like I said this would have cost implications,” disclosed the SWMC General Manager. Additionally the Corporation will be creating job descriptions for all employees. “Everyone will have a job description because the job description would be so drafted that it is the very job description that we would turn to when we are doing performance evaluation. That is where we want to reach before the year is over,” he said.
The Solid Waste Management Corporation was established under section 3 of the Saint Christopher and Nevis Solid Waste Management Corporation Act, 1996. Commonly referred to as the SWMC, the corporation is guided by the amended Solid Waste Management Act, 2009.
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