By Leonardo Blair, Staff ReporterTHE COLLECTION and disposal of garbage throughout the Corporate Area should be back to normal today following the settlement of a dispute between the executive of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSMWA) and the Riverton Meadows Trucking and Disposal Co-operative yesterday.
In a marathon meeting, facilitated by Local Government Minister Portia Simpson Miller, the NSMWA executive and the Riverton Co-operative reached a seven-point agreement which includes a withdrawal of the letter of termination issued to the Co-operative on August 25th.
Up to yesterday, members of the Co-operative were still protesting the NSWMA's decision to decrease the rates paid to drivers for daily loads of garbage. They were sent into a rage on Wednesday after they received termination letters from the NSMWA which forced a disruption of the garbage collection service.
Yesterday, however, Gerry Gardner, chairman of the Co-operative apologised to the nation and assured that his organisation will assist with the cleaning up of the Riverton City Dump which has been up in smoke for several days now.
"We apologise to the members of the Kingston and St. Andrew community for the inconvenience caused due to bad communication between the NSWMA and the Co-operative," said Mr. Gardner. "We are also going to assist with the clean-up free of cost."
Among the points agreed upon yesterday was for a part grievance procedure which stipulates that if it is breached the services of the Co-operative will be terminated immediately.
During the disruption of the service it was also agreed that a police post would be established at the landfill after NSWMA workers were exposed to threats and other expressions of 'badmanism and unlawful behaviour,' according to Alston Stewart, executive chairman of the NSWMA.
