Print this article | View All Articles  

Solid Waste Management Training for Parish Ambassadors

ISWMP

Parish ambassadors going through their training session. In their roles as community leaders, the island’s parish ambassadors were recently exposed to training in solid waste management so they could take this new knowledge back into their communities. The one-day workshop, a joint initiative between the Sewerage and Solid Waste Project Execution Unit (SSWPU) and the Community Independence Secretariat brought together the ambassadors, their attendants and senior officials of several government departments concerned with solid waste management. Addressing the opening, SSWPU Project Director, Frank Thornhill, explained that the unit was charged with executing the Integrated Solid Waste Programme (ISWMP), one of the most critical health and environmental projects which seeks to bring a comprehensive approach to solid waste management in Barbados. “The workshop seeks to empower community leaders with information on solid waste management, give the community the opportunity to experience first hand what solid waste management is about and to give the SSWPU a better understanding of how to present information to communities in a user-friendly format,” he added. SSWPU Waste Management Co-ordinator, Ricardo Marshall introduced the participants to the ISWMP which is based on the concept of waste minimisation using the globally acknowledged 3 R’s approach, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. They were also given an understanding of solid waste collection, transport and commercial services from Stanton Alleyne Deputy Manager and Michael Nicholls Area Superintendent of the Sanitation Service Authority. Project Manager of the Environmental Unit of the Ministry of Physical Development and the Environment, Rickardo Ward spoke on his ministry’s gully ecosystem management highlighting the importance of gullies and the threats including illegal dumping of solid and liquid wastes. The role of environmental health officers and community responsibility was covered by the Prinicipal Environmental Health Officer at Black Rock Polyclinic, Errol Goodridge. A lively session rounded out the day when the Project Manager Solid Waste, Sandra Prescod, exposed participants to the interactive solid waste management software Decisions, Decisions, The Environment. The ambassadors took on the roles of campaign managers, economists, environmentalists and scientists concerned with re-electing a local government official who must balance governing and the economy with the management of solid waste problems. Central Zone Field Officer of the Community Independence Secretariat, Ava Johnson reminded the ambassadors that their status as role leaders meant they were ideally placed to promote such projects. Pointing out that the most important part of the exercise was to share what they had learnt with their communities, Johnson said too, “ we must all take responsibility … take every opportunity to learn more about corrective measures that can enable us to protect that which we hold most dear.” Similar seminars were recently held for hoteliers, teachers and community workers as part of the ongoing education and outreach programme of the Sewerage and Solid Waste Execution Unit.