Garbage clash looms

WHEN THE SANITATION SERVICE AUTHORITY (SSA) rolled out compactor trucks from private waste haulers yesterday to pick up garbage, it could very well have been using battle tanks, for one union is viewing it as an act of war.

Trucks owned by Williams Liquid & Solid Waste Management Inc., Garbage Master Ltd, Forde’s Freighting & Rental Services Inc., and Project Recycling Ltd took to the streets yesterday to collect household waste for the first time, in a project that will see them being paid $411 per hour per truck.

With eight private trucks listed on the SSA’s schedule to work eight hours per day for five days each week, over the next six months this operation will cost Government over $3.3 million, excluding non-driving staff.

While those haulers were getting familiar with their routes in St Lucy, St Peter, St John and St Philip utilising their own staff, officials from the SSA were at their National Petroleum Corporation building headquarters interviewing and handing out temporary appointment letters to individuals who would take over at the back of the trucks from tomorrow. (RRM)

Please read the full story in today’s Daily Nation, or in the eNATION edition.