RESIDENTS of Bruceville, Vieux Fort, have welcomed a clean-up exercise in their community which saw approximately 11 trucks of plastic waste collected in one day.
The exercise, which was conducted just over a week ago by the Ministry of Infrastructure in collaboration with the Vieux Fort South Constituency Council, focused on cleaning the main drain in the community in preparation for the hurricane season which commenced in June. The Saint Lucia Fire Service also assisted in the exercise.
According to information emanating from the Vieux Fort South Constituency Council, the main drain in the area which has not been given attention for a number of years, causes flooding during the hurricane season.
The drain, which is covered with slabs, collects water from several parts of Vieux Fort which ends up in the sea.
Residents of Bruceville say it has been close to a decade since the last major clean-up in the community.
David Charles, a resident of the area said: āI welcome the clean-upā¦ Bruceville deserves it. The drains clog whenever it rains heavily, so this is timely.ā
Francis Joseph, another resident said he supports the initiative because it will help to reduce the impact of potential disasters in the hurricane season.
According to Joseph, such an initiative also reduces the workload of the Vieux Fort South Constituency Council.
Workers of the company contracted to collect garbage in Vieux Fort say a large quantity of garbage is usually collected in Bruceville, one of the most troubled areas in the town. It is also one the areas where improper garbage disposal is most widely seen.
A few days ago, workers employed with the Short Term Employment Programme (STEP), who cleaned an area in Bruceville near the beach, told this reporter that they were surprised by the amount of rubbish they collected there in a short space of time.
The workers reiterated the need for drains to be kept clean, particularly during the hurricane season.