Who is running this show?
Every morning as I drive into town (usually on the Newlands Bypass and along South Sound), my mood instantly flips from “ok” to “not so ok” once I make the turn onto the bypass. The last couple of days I have actually grown almost irate when I see the ineptness, lack of motivation and pride that are so publicly on display by some of our government departments. In this case, I am speaking about the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) and National Roads Authority (NRA).
Let me explain. Anyone who drives on the Newlands Bypass on a regular basis can observe the ever increasing amount of litter that is tossed along the way — this is where my mood usually flips from “ok” to “not so ok”. We all (well, at least many of us) acknowledge that littering shouldn’t happen in the first instance; however, this is not the topic of my viewpoint.
Last week the NRA began to cut the bush and grass along the Newland Bypass. The result is that whilst the bypass looked bad before (given all the litter tossed around), it looked now like a garbage truck had driven down the road with the back wide open, having lost half of its load on the way to town. Why? Because any garbage and/or litter along the road has now been shredded into a million pieces.
The annoying part is that this is something that could be so very easily avoided — coordinate with DEH; have DEH either walk the road right before the bush/grass gets cut to pick up all garbage or immediately after the cut. Simple! Instead, once the NRA has done their bit, they wash their hands off any responsibility, and for the DEH, the hope seems to be that any breeze may blow the litter somewhere else and so in time there will be less to pick up.
Another issue is the lack of enforcement by the NRA of proper maintenance of the roundabouts which are sponsored and landscaped by various companies. Just look at the state of the roundabout at Grand Harbor and the islets (or whatever they are called) next to the roundabout, which are constantly completely overgrown by bush and at some stage even have three feet tall wild tamarind trees growing in them.
Then there is the issue with the DEH-placed garbage bins. Why is it that at every turn there is an overflowing DEH garbage bin? Whether it is in town after several cruise ships have been in port, the parking lot across from Dairy Queen, the bin at the South Sound Boat Ramp, and the list goes on and on. Surely by now the DEH must know which areas are more frequented and therefore require more regular emptying of the bins. I dare not raise the question why there are no recycling bins placed around town, all public buildings, hotels, vacation rental properties etc.
If someone has the crazy idea to blame the lack of enforcement and coordination on staffing or budget issues, I suggest the NRA and DEH seriously consider utilizing some of those people who have been ordered to do hours andhours of community service, as it would require very little supervision to have someone walk along the roads and beaches to pick up garbage or to empty the garbage bins. If they haven’t been cleaned, no credit is given towards the community service – simple!
I know the issues I have set out above are for many insignificant in comparison to other recent headlines, especially considering that the dump issue and creation of a recycling centre has yet to be resolved; however, nothing screams more “third world country” than overflowing garbage bins and litter lined roads and beaches.
The only conclusion I can come to is that complacency must be one hell of a thing because I know that if I would so openlydemonstrate such a lack of teamwork, lack of motivation at my job and the unwillingness to think outside the box, my boss would have made it very clear to me by now that my performance is less than impressive, and I would have felt the consequences for my inactions a long time ago.
Is it really so hard to try and think of the bigger picture and have some pride in what you are doing? People working at those departments and the people charged with running those departments must be driving on the same roads I do and therefore should be observing the same issues I (and many others) see.
I guess it is just easier not to bother.
Category: Viewpoint
Any one who litters was not raised properly-its a lack of respect for themselves and others.
And another thing, when are we going to stop that crazy gardening companies using those "blowers" to blow all the garden trash from our yard into the next one? And then the next yard people come along and blow it all back? The dust created is amazing and I am sure responsible for a lot of allergies, eye infections and so on. If anyone had half a brain they could suck up the green waste, take it away, compost it and have very fertile soil for sale in a relatively short term…
Here is an idea, Sweet Pea, why don't you pay some income tax and then use the money to get better public services?
Why don't we change how decisions are made? Instead of the politicians making the decision for these lower level situations. Why don't we put it in the hands of the public? Each voter has one vote on these little decisions. Voting can be conducted online or by submitting a paper ballot at the elections office. The elections office is open all year round. Isn't it? Make those people work and do something. One bite by entering your voter is number and loggining into the elections website.
Vote for higher littering fines. Vote for community service. Vote for more CCTV cameras. Vote for higher/lower stamp duty. Vote for anything. Make this place a real democratic country. Let the people make the decision.
There are no Caymanians working these two companies, and the workers don't care a blast,
Can you people know this and see this.
This just sounds like a conspiracy plan against the new government. This is the same old rhetoric of politics, we are always constantly blaming someone for our own downfall. You all are just a bunch of wolfpacks trying to give this new government a bad name. If you all see the roadside is full with trash,then get together and help your community by volunteering your services in picking up the trash. To keep Cayman clean we all have to work in unity. Talk is very cheap and action speaks louder than words.
This do not a conspiracy against the new Goverment. It is the responibility of the new Goverment to make sure that all department of Goverment is working efectively and doing their jobs .
I enjoyed bringing recycling tothe island about 7 years ago . I had some young local men put
up those signs " we buy scrap metal" and started paying people to bring there garbage to me
and I would then ship it off the island. Over the last 7 years We have shipped about 5 million
pounds of trash that would of ended up in Mt Trash.
I believe we have yet to meet and if you use some of that passion to help me get the word out
Cayman would be a better place. Spread the word Recycling is alive and well in Cayman
Whislt Govt could perhaps do better on this, moronic scumbags shouldn't litter.
A lot of the roadside trash actually flies out of DEH's grab trucks' bins as they race along the roads. Private haulers are required to cover their dumpsters with screens but this rule does not seem to apply to government trucks.
Well said!
And another thing…does anyone know of any case where the Police have prosecuted anyone for littering?
Every roadside in Cayman has litter along it. The lower socio-ecoomic West Indians as a whole are litterers. It is disgusting. They roll down the window of their car and toss it all outside – bottles, cans, fast food bags – everything.
Government is slowly becoming too vast for the poor Caymanian people and dedicated expats to sustain.
Government's solution: Flood the country with cheap labour and expand even more to manage said flood. Give status to said flood and trash the country. Job done.
Possible suggestion: A whole new political system whereby the people are involved in the daily process. Total transparency in every financial transaction/political decision and posted in real time on the Internet.
Who spent what, when and for what reason.
Unfortunately this will only become a reality when we are lining up for our chip implants. I personallydo not want to be implanted with a chip, but I think you will findthe PPM government thinks otherwise.
Out of curiosity out of this well laid out set of comments do we cut this Government and who in turn does the work?
It seemsas if everyone is set o kicking the mule called th Goverment with regards to its size but I am yet to see the private sector put forward plan to take some services from Goverment.
That Back road is so badly kept that any moment it would seem like a tiger would run across the road.