Winsome Johns-Gayle, president of the Mona Heights Citizens' Association Co-operation (MHCA), is opposing claims that there has been a garbage pile-up in the middle-class St Andrew community due to inefficiencies on the part of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA).

Contrary to recent reports that residents of the community have been forced to make numerous calls to the NSWMA because of a serious pile-up, Johns-Gayle said there was absolutely no wide-scale waste problem.

"I don't know of any such problem and there is no one in the MHCA who would have made such a claim," she said. "The board of the MHCA is unaware of any such calls being made by any of its officials in this regard."

Maintained close relationship with NSWMA

Johns-Gayle has further argued that the citizens have maintained a close relationship with members of the NSWMA collection team, to the extent that, in 2005, "a member of staff was honoured by the organisation for his faithful and meritorious service to the community".

Joan Gordon-Webley, executive director at the NSWMA, told The Gleaner yesterday that she was not aware of any such problems in the community.

Gordon-Webley said she was aware that there have been constraints due to a shortage of trucks and further mechanical problems, but that this had in no way resulted in a garbage pile-up in Mona.

Living up to responsibilities

"Once in a while you may have a challenge with a truck, but we are living up to our responsibilities in that community," she said.

The NSWMA head said if a garbage collector fails to collect on his assigned day, there is a system in place which assures that the collection is done the following day.

Additionally, she said just this week the NSWMA added some 11 new trucks to its fleet.

The contractor in charge of Mona Heights said she has been serving the community for over 20 years and has received no serious complaints about a garbage pile-up.

"Collection is done twice every week in Mona Heights on Tuesdays and Fridays," she said. "Our collectors are usually always on schedule."