Stewart JAMAICA IS unlikely to agree to a proposal aimed at dumping solid waste from the United States on offshore countries in the Caribbean in exchange for payment, says Alston Stewart, chairman of the National Waste Management Authority.
Mr. Stewart said that two years ago the Government was approached by US-based private interests, but did not accept the proposal, as it was already having enough problems securing space for local garbage and could not accommodate waste from overseas.
"I don't think that it is acceptable and appropriate for a less developed country to be dealing with the solid waste of a much richer, more developed country which can better deal with it," Mr. Stewart said.
His comments come amid reports that the United States was exploring the feasibility of shipping New York's garbage to Caribbean nations, for which the nations could earn hard currency.
Mr. Stewart dismissed the idea, stating that Jamaica did not have enough resources, among them land space and technology, to tackle US waste problems. "We have everything not to do it. They have everything to do it themselves so, obviously, something is wrong with the proposal."
Barbados reportedly refused the offer from the United States, with officials stating that the country would never accept that idea.
Officials from Guyana have also rejected the proposal, suggesting that the US should look at more creative ways of solving its garbage disposal problems.
