NiCE workers spruce landfill for Christmas
Ministerial Councillor for Health Roy McTaggart with NiCE workers at the landfill
(CNS Local Life): A team of workers from the National Community Enhancement Project is working at the George Town landfill on a variety of initiatives to help improve the facilities and services before Christmas. Known as the NiCE project, the three-week seasonal programme has around 50 workers at the landfill engaged in a wide variety of clean-up activities.
These include landscaping, cleaning and tidying areas of the landfill as well as buildings on the site, painting, processing recyclables and generally getting the landfill ready for major upgrades as part of the planned new Integrated Solid Waste Management System (ISWMS).
At the dispatch complex, workers are also beautifying the area, improving drainage and clearing litter.
This is the second year that NiCE workers have taken part in the improvement programme at the landfill.
“We are very pleased to have them on board again this year,” said Director of Environmental Health Roydell Carter. “They make a tremendous contribution to operations at the landfill.”
The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) is hiring seven participants from the 2015 initiative for temporary positions with the expanded recycling programme at supermarket depots and at the recycling facility; workers will also assist with landfill operations.
It is anticipated that five people will be hired on contract as permanent workers with the expanded recycling programme as well as a few others taken on for landfill operations, for the next couple of years.
“I am very impressed with the efforts of many of these outstanding workers,” said DEH NiCE project manager Mark Rowlands. “They have really helped DEH Solid Waste move forward and raise our standard, while improving the overall capacity to manage and operate Cayman Islands solid waste systems. I wish I could provide jobs for all of these fine workers.”
Last year, members of the NiCE project also worked at the dispatch centre, where they painted the outside of the offices, other smaller facilities and the Solid Waste training centre. They also helped spread crushed stone over the entire parking area, cleaned up the whole compound, painted the decks and installed plants, all of which has contributed to improving working conditions and staff morale.
“This is a very worthwhile programme and I am happy to see the workers from the NiCE project contributing in such a positive way at the landfill and dispatch area,” said Ministerial Councillor for Health Roy McTaggart. “They take great pride in the work they are doing and their efforts are a valuable contribution towards our long-term goal of implementing a sustainable waste management system.”
The ISWMS is in the first stage of the procurement phase, with government aiming to have a contract in place, in principle, by spring 2017.
NiCE workers assigned to DEH and other public bodies are also undertaking other clean-up projects around Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac.
Category: Environment
