分类： society

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has taken a proactive stance in addressing urban blight by launching a comprehensive initiative to remove derelict vehicles across the nation. This effort is part of a broader clean-up campaign aimed at enhancing public health, improving environmental conditions, and restoring aesthetic appeal to urban and suburban areas. Derelict vehicles, often abandoned in public spaces, have long been a source of concern due to their potential to harbor pests, leak hazardous fluids, and detract from community well-being. The NSWMA’s initiative involves collaboration with local governments, law enforcement, and environmental agencies to identify, tag, and remove these vehicles efficiently. Authorities have emphasized the importance of community involvement, urging residents to report abandoned vehicles and participate in neighborhood clean-up efforts. This campaign underscores the NSWMA’s commitment to sustainable waste management and its role in fostering cleaner, safer, and more livable communities. The initiative is expected to have a significant impact on reducing urban pollution and promoting environmental stewardship.

Students at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus, are organizing a peaceful sit-out on Monday to protest the institution’s decision to resume in-person classes in the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastation. In an open letter issued on Sunday, a coalition of students demanded a one-week pause in academic activities and the adoption of a hybrid learning model to support those still recovering from the storm’s impact. The letter condemned the university’s decision as “irresponsible” and “tone-deaf,” highlighting that many students remain displaced, lack access to essential utilities, and are emotionally unprepared to return to studies. The protest is framed as an act of solidarity with peers in western Jamaica, a region severely affected by the hurricane, where thousands are still in shelters and critical hospitals remain non-functional. Official reports cited in the letter reveal that 25,000 people are displaced, and at least 28 Jamaicans have lost their lives due to the disaster. The students expressed concern that the university has yet to assess the full extent of the impact on its student body, including those who may be homeless, injured, or deceased. They criticized the administration for reopening the campus “prematurely,” arguing that it disregards the physical and emotional toll of the crisis. Comparisons were drawn with other institutions, such as the University of Technology (UTech), which has indefinitely suspended in-person classes, and UWI’s Western Jamaica Campus, which delayed reopening by a week. The letter also condemned the Mona campus for demanding rent payments for accommodations students were forced to evacuate, labeling it a “class issue” and a “profound abdication of empathy.” The mental strain on students was emphasized, with the letter describing a “frozen mental and emotional state” caused by trauma and uncertainty. The group urged students to exercise their “agency to resist” by abstaining from classes on Monday, concluding with a call to “resist the insensitivity and impracticality of this decision.” The letter was signed by multiple students.