The Radio Cayman Lunchtime Call In show yesterday, I understand, had representatives from our government Environmental Health Department who stated that garbage had been all cleared and back on normal schedule. I did not hear the broadcast but was informed by one of our readers that this was stated. I can say when I contacted the DEH today by telephone and relayed what I had heard to the lady at the other end of the line, she did not deny this.

You may recall I posted an Editorial headed “Rubbish” the other day also on the same topic – rubbish/garbage.

The images I have posted here show garbage from premises along the road where I live in Newlands.

This evening I was with some friends from overseas who have two condominiums here and they, without any urging from me, commented they have never seen so much garbage littering our streets and was their a problem.

I told them the powers that be, the ones in charge of our garbage, said on the radio yesterday there had been a problem but the backlog had been cleared and everything was back on schedule.

When I asked the DEH lady when Newlands was going to have their garbage collected she told me next Thursday. I asked her if she realized that would then be FOUR WEEKS since garbage had been collected.

She did not realize this and asked me exactly where I lived. I told her and then said the street I am on is not the only one where the bins are overflowing and garbage is piled up.

I asked her what had happened on Sunday when the new schedule had been sent to us saying that was the day the collection would be made. She could not give me an answer. I told her that on Monday at 5pm the garbage vehicle was in North Sound Estates as I saw it there on Monday but it came nowhere near where I live – a stone throw’s away.

When I told her who I was and I would be doing an Editorial on this subject today with images, she said someone senior would get back to me.

An hour later someone did and said he had been told all the garbage in the area had been collected and he would find out what had happened. I can tell him what had happened. Nothing.

I tried to contact my Newlands MLA Al Suckoo. TWICE! His phone rings for not very long and then abruptly cuts off. That way you can’t leave a message. very strange, though, during the election campaign he was very easy and eager to talk to the press. I will try and contact him via Rooster Radio as, like most of the opposition MLA’s, there is always at least three of them breathing down our airwaves each week.

The situation surrounding the mystery of the disappearance of DEH Director Roydell Carter was not solved by the Statement issued yesterday by Jennifer Ahearn, Chief Officer in the Ministry of Health, Environment, Culture and Housing where she said:

“Contrary to reports in the media, DEH Director Roydell Carter has not been suspended and there are no funds unaccounted for at DEH. Mr. Carter is currently on leave, and Dr. Paulino Rodriguez is Acting Director in his absence.”

One would have thought it would have been wise to say exactly on what leave Mr Carter was on in view of the speculation and complete mess the DEH is currently in. Is he on some sort of vacation leave so someone else can sort out the many problems that have occurred during his leadership? Is he sick?

Us members of the press, even the good boys like we are at iNews Cayman, are not entirely satisfied with a statement that only adds to even more speculation. It sort of smells a bit of “be careful what you say as there could be a legal confrontation down the line”.

In this case less is most certainly more.

More garbage even. Now I am back to where I started this Editorial. Garbage is back to normal – the new normal – it isn’t!

EDITOR NOTE:  In an earlier publication of this Editorial we incorrectly stated Rooster Call In show. It was Radio Cayman.