~Household Garbage collection and Heavy Garbage Collection on a go-slow.~
MARIGOT:--- Two days prior to the commencement of the 2019 hurricane season and garbage both household and heavy can be seen all over French Quarter as those persons that secured the lucrative contracts does not see the need to clean up the area as St. Martin prepare for yet another hurricane season.
Driving around the district for a few minutes display the unhealthy living conditions in this particular area that was neglected post, Irma. While many homes are yet to be repaired since the passage of hurricane IRMA on September 6th, 2017, the deplorable conditions of the surroundings is nothing but an eyesore while Government turns a blind eye to the situation even though they have awarded contracts to certain persons for garbage collection and roadside cleaning.
HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE.
It is a known fact that the current local government under the helm of President Daniel Gibbs stopped the ordering and distribution of household garbage bins, this, of course, created a negative impact since residents chose to dispose of their garbage alongside the main road when the public bins are filled. Some residents that live inside roads chose to dispose of their garbage in the bushes which are then torn apart by stray dogs and goats, while some residents take the risk of burning their garbage which in turn causes fires and also pollution since the garbage is not sorted out. Plastic bottles, rubber, baby pampers and other garbage that creates pollution are being burnt by neighbors and residents.
The contractor that has the contract for Quartier d’ Orleans (French Quarter) only picks up the garbage on the main road except for at least one street. They claimed that the inner roads are not public roads or are not accessible to them. This statement, however, was debunked by local authorities at Service Urbanisme, they admitted that some roads were not included in the contract even though the roads are government roads and are fully accessible to the garbage contractors.
As for stopping the distribution of garbage bins the civil servants at Urbanisme said that the local government chose to stop ordering household garbage bins since they are being stolen by foreign vendors and were being shipped out of St. Martin by boat.
While it is understandable that the actions of those vendors and other persons that engage in stealing government garbage bins, stop ordering them and not distributing them did not help the situation very much especially after the passage of hurricane IRMA.
There are still many people that are jobless, and homeless, people are still seeking shelter at the homes of friends and relatives. While the cost of household garbage bins is somewhat high, these bins are also being stolen when placed alongside the public roads.
The government chose to save money by stop the ordering of the bins instead of using the departments of justice such as customs and police to monitor every vessel leaving the island and have these persons that chose to steal prosecuted. Their choice, of course, created an eyesore and have exposed their people to all sorts of health hazards.
Hopefully, now that issue is brought to the forefront those responsible for the issuance of the lucrative contracts will now take it upon themselves to call the contractors to order and to ensure a proper clean up of the island is done before its too late.
CAR WRECKS
Apart from the garbage, another eyesore has been created by the illegal garage owners that are being allowed to store hundreds of old cars on public and private property. The Collectivity made it clear that garages and illegal structures fall under the State and as such they could only bring a certain situation to the attention of the State and it is up the State to act.
Several persons have felt the wrath of the State when their livable homes were demolished while the eyesore and health hazards such as the garages and shacks that are being constructed fall on deaf ears and blind eyes.
Below are photos of the garbage and old car wrecks in French Quarter.
Click here to see photos of old car wrecks at an illegal garage at Impasse Adams Alexandre.
