A garbage dump of mixed household waste and old domestic appliances on Rue Lady Fish in Sandy Ground. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT--Sandy Ground on the Move Insertion President Georges Richardson took aim at the Collectivité and garbage contractors over a mountainous pile of garbage on Rue Lady Fish, including disused household appliances and items of furniture, that is growing by the day.
He said the eyesore has been like that for months and questions why the garbage contractors are not doing their job.
“It’s another instance of Sandy Ground being neglected,” Richardson said. “My concern is for the health of the people in Sandy Ground. Uncollected garbage attracts mosquito breeding and with the coronavirus threatening more countries around the world, the Collectivité is not setting a good example where cleanliness is concerned.
“God forbid if coronavirus enters this island, on top of dengue fever. Car wrecks, another mosquito breeding site, are still stacked up in Sandy Ground or occupying bus stops. Other districts have been cleaned up, but it seems nobody cares what Sandy Ground looks like.”
He said cleanliness and hygiene should be paramount as anxiety about coronavirus grows. He also questioned why regular informative bulletins about the virus are not issued by the Collectivité and the regional health authority ARS.
“I also have a problem with the collective Heads Together. They are focused on the natural risk prevention plan PPRN, but are not talking about the garbage situation in Sandy Ground. Who is the collective really working for? France and Europe pump a lot of money into St. Martin, so there is no excuse for Sandy Ground to be in this situation all the time. Somebody has dropped the ball. The health of Sandy Ground is at stake and something needs to be done.”
Contacted on Thursday, the Collectivité took note of the complaint and acknowledged there is a problem in Sandy Ground where a new organisation has to be put in place. There is a separate service for household waste and another for large bulky items. Normally the two have to be separated. The Collectivité assured that the services would come to clean up as soon as possible.
