BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - RUBBISH is accumulated in the homes of everyone. But when the task of dumping comes to hand, many people think twice about going to the Landfill.
The Landfill, located at the eastern outskirts of Conaree Village, is the place where all garbage should end up. But according to Operation Supervisor of the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) Wilmon McCall, that is not the case.
He said that there are a lot of people who shun from taking their waste to the Landfill but instead create their own within high grasses or use the mountains or neighbouring cane fields.
"Almost around every village in St. Kitts, around every town in St. Kitts is a garbage dump that accommodates a few members in that community."
He said that the biggest landfill, apart from the original, is located in Cayon, noting that it is up in the hills.
He said that the land area close to Needsmust and the stretch of land at the Kim Collins Highway are where a lot of people, not just Basseterre residents, drive to dispose of their rubbish.
Giving an example, McCall said he had caught a Saddlers resident in one of the areas dumping waste and, after giving him the opportunity to reload his waste and journeying to the Landfill, he found that the man was financially equipped to pay for the proper disposal of his garbage.
McCall said that there is no large sum of money to pay for the dumping of garbage at the Landfill in Conaree and the prices are based on what material individuals have to dispose.
For day to day household trash, he said, "You hardly ever pay anything past $20 at the Landfill."
Speaking to the beautification of the Federation, he said it is not a good sight for tourists, especially when on hiking trips.
He noted that with people making the area of land along the Kim Collins Highway their landfill, it could pose possible health risks.
Speaking to a resident who lives in that vicinity, she said that it is not only unsightly but worthless, as people seem to have no regard for the fact that there is water under the land that is used to facilitate the needs of the people of the country.
She said that she fears that, in the long-run, the chemicals from the waste would trickle down into the water.
"If you walk or drive through there...it is a total mess. Just garbage everywhere! Old cars, refrigerators, washing machines, tyres; you name it and its thrown away there. I don't understand how people could be so uncaring. There is water under that land and we use that water. I am just scared that maybe one day we will all get sick, and even worse, most people would not even know why."
McCall is appealing to residents to stop making the mountains and cane fields their dumps and warns that people would be ticketed if caught.
