The National Solid Waste Management Autho-rity (NSWMA) was criti-cised in the Senate on Friday for its poor collection of garbage in the corporate and rural areas.

The criticisms were mounted by Opposition senators while debating a bill to amend the Justices of the Peace Jurisdiction Act.

"We on this side support the amendment but there is a bigger issue here which gives me cause for concern and that is the collection of garbage because that is the function of the NSWMA," she said.

She claimed it was the duty of the authority to collect garbage, especially in the downtown area.

"You cannot pass this bill and then do not provide a service to the citizens. I put it on record that I call upon the authorities and Government to ensure that there is weekly or daily garbage collection. It should not be left to the citizens to provide their own collect," she said.

But Government Senator, Donna Scott-Mottley, said while it was the Government's responsibility to ensure that garbage is collected, businesspersons who dump their garbage on the sidewalks should also take equal responsibility for their action.

"There is no excuse for it because inside of their stores they keep them clean and then they just take everything that they have and dump it on the sidewalks without any concern for people who are occupying that space," she said.

Opposition Senator Prudence Kidd-Deans gave a personal account of the haphazard way in which garbage was collected in her community.

"If I did not have a large yard to burn my garbage, I would be in trouble because it is collected every two to three to four weeks and I am not exaggerating!" she said

Defence

In defence of the agency, Information and Development Minister, Senator Colin Campbell, said the NSWMA maintains a twice-a-week collection schedule in residential areas. He said businesspersons are required to make their own arrangement for their solid disposal.

"Some businesspersons have not made proper arrangements for their solid waste disposal and it is the responsibility of the Solid Waste Management Authority to demand because there are fines that can be imposed," he said.

The bill is being amended to include references to fixed penalty notices issued under section 53 (2) of the NSWMA Act.