KINGSTON, Jamaica— The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is calling on Jamaicans to help them in their drive to recognise high-performing sanitation workers.

“We are asking citizens to give us their feedback on our service, because in 2020 one of the things that we will be doing is to recognise our sanitation workers more, based on performance. We know that some of them are performing and some are not there yet, but they are en route to reach the standard that we require of them,” NSWMA operations director Aretha McFarlane said.

On January 7 the agency recognised two of their sanitation workers for defusing an incident which happened in December between sanitation workers and a St Andrew resident.

Sanitation worker Earlston Ellis, who was on the scene of the incident, and his supervisor Dennis Williams, who later joined to help resolve the matter, both received certificates of commendation from the NSWMA during a management meeting held at the Courtleigh Hotel and Suites in Kingston.

McFarlane said the sanitation workers utilised the training they received in both customers service and safety, which is part of the agency’s ongoing development efforts.

“We believe that it is important for us to invest in our human capital if we are to do a good job. The face of the NSWMA is our sanitation workers and drivers, so investing in our people will ensure that the service we provide is at a particular standard as we push to change the culture of the NSWMA and the stigma that was attached to the NSWMA. We believe that with time and consistent training, they will only get better,” she said.

The training of sidemen and drivers began two years ago and includes a partnership between the NSWMA and the HEART Trust/NTA for the provision of remedial courses.