By Zaya Williams

According to the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA)’s chairman Michael Joseph, there have been improvements in household garbage collection over the last few months.

“We have ten contractors with whom we have outsourced the garbage collection. In addition, we have four trucks of our own that are also engaged in the exercise. What happens is that several of these contractors have been experiencing issues with their trucks that have led to breakdowns, causing a negative domino effect in the collection process,” he said

Several measures have been implemented over the past few months to improve the frequency of garbage collection in and around Antigua and Barbuda.

NSWMA Chairman Michael A. Joseph said his team had implemented several measures to improve the frequency of garbage collection, although there are several challenges along the way

“We are in discussion to acquire two additional trucks, which we hope will arrive by yearend. We have also asked the contractors to take measures to reduce the breakdowns by acquiring more reliable trucks themselves,” he noted.

Joseph said twenty trucks are responsible for daily garbage collection from households in the system, but the aim is to have twenty-four trucks.

The idea is to have some of these vehicles on standby should a problem arise.