CRY defies ‘litter order’ over diaper dumping

The Care and Respect for Youth Foundation (CRY) has defied a “litter removal order” from the San Juan/ Laventille Regional Corporation. The order relates to more than 1,000 discarded, soiled disposable diapers dumped at the corner of Dorata Street and St Joseph Road, Laventille. Carlos Grant and Victor Lezama, two Environmental Officers (litter wardens) pursuing their Health Department clean-up campaign received information on the pampers, which were reportedly dumped at the corner yesterday morning by an official of the Foundation whose office is just 100 yards away.

According to reports, when the wardens attempted to speak to a CRY official they were accused of being insulting and ordered off the premises. They left and returned sometime later and wrote up the order on site. Newsday, who was present when the order was being prepared, observed a young girl sweeping a portion of the CRY compound where there were pieces of disposable diapers similar to those dumped on the corner. Attempts were made to speak with a CRY official, but the official accused the Newsday reporter of being a “jumbie” and ordered him off the premises. The official said she was not accepting any “litter removal order” from the officers and they were not to enter the yard. The angry official then added that if they wanted to know anything about the diapers they should check the Corporation’s office about the reports made over a month ago.

The official then changed her statement and said, “I do not know anything about any pampers, none of my workers know anything about any pampers, I do not know of any pampers being on my compound, anyone wanting information about those pampers should check the corporation office and should I see my name involved, I will sue.” In another matter the same officials served a similar order on a man in  Coconut Drive, Morvant over his parking of dilapidated vehicles and debris collected in his yard over the last five to six years, which has caused the place to be overrun with snakes, rats and roaches.