Cases of residents verbally and physically abusing workers of the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) will be turned over to the police.
Minister of the Environment and National Beautification, Adrian Forde, sounded the warning as he launched the island’s 45th Clean and Green site at the Montgomery Pavilion, Cave Hill, St. Michael, recently.
Over the last few weeks, there were several complaints of abuse against workers of the SSA while they were carrying out their duties.
“The attacks on Sanitation Service Authority workers will not continue under my watch. The police are already involved because this is a serious situation,” Mr. Forde stated.
He pointed out that while most were still asleep, the SSA workers were out to ensure that the country remained clean to keep health threats under control. But, he lamented, while carrying out their duties some were verbally and physically assaulted by persons.
“That would not be tolerated under my watch… nor under this administration. We will not tolerate this type of behavior,’’ he emphasised.
He stressed that there must be equal respect as SSA workers were “our brothers, and our sisters. These same workers are the aunts and uncles of society. These same workers are the Trojans, the persons who help build Barbados and attacks on them will be ‘a no, no’, as far as I am concerned”.
He appealed to residents to work with the SSA and utilise the hotline to report on issues.
The Minister said the only way sustainable development could be achieved was to have partnerships. “[So], I am appealing to Barbadians to partner with the Sanitation [Service Authority] and please do not physically or verbally assault our workers because we are taking the matters straight to the police,” he cautioned.
He advised that similar action would be taken against those who continue to dump illegally across the country.
Mr. Forde made reference to a telephone call and a video he received over the weekend of persons dumping illegally in Lower Burney, St. Michael, where preparations were made to transform the area to a Clean and Green site.
“I am saying an abhorrent ‘no’ to that type of behaviour, and I have already asked the police to do their investigations to bring those persons before the law courts,” he stated.
Minister Forde called on Barbadians to understand that the environment was the one thing that would protect their children, their grandchildren and the unborn.
He told those present that the area of Montgomery would be transformed over the next couple of weeks to ensure that the residents have an area to be able to recreate.
It will also feature a play park for children called the Maria Jones Recreational Park, in honour of one of the residents, now deceased, who made a sterling contribution to the community. In addition, there will also be fruit trees planted and benches to facilitate recreational activities by the residents.