The two things we have had in common this holiday weekend is plenty of garbage all over the streets of Newlands, where I live, due to its non-collection, again, plus two power outages – one yesterday afternoon/evening and another around 5am this morning lasting to just after 7am.

The other common ground is the lack of information both CUC, the only electric supply company on Grand Cayman and the Government Department of Environment and Health, have supplied.

We did find out a little bit about the first power outage (at the time of writing this Editorial 8am Mon) from our own inquiries that it was due to equipment failure at one of CUC’s substations and approximately 10,000 plus customers were affected from North Side to West Bay. Power was restored to all areas around 7pm.

The second power outage (this morning) was due to a an accident when an electricity pole was knocked down in Prospect, This has been confirmed via social media. Slightly puzzling is the wide area of outages this one produced.

As the president of the USA relies on social media by Tweets I suppose I shouldn’t complain that our media house didn’t get a Press Release advising us. And, it is a holiday.

CUC did do MUCH better than our government. Since DOE boldly told us that we would now experience garbage collections regularly and on time we have heard nothing from them.

After just a few weeks from this encouraging announcement, the garbage collection is now back to what we have come to expect here in Newlands. Never on a Thursday as scheduled and often between 10 to 14 days with no collections at all. I understand this is the case in other areas.

In my early years here on Grand Cayman (and I am going back over 35 years) we had TWO garbage collections per week and for many years after they were on time. Then it got reduced to one per week and ever since it has been getting steadily worse.

Despite one of our Bodden Town MLA’s, Chris Saunders, complaining bitterly about it there has been the usual ‘silence is golden’ policy we come to expect from government bodies.

Quite frankly, it is utterly appalling.

Garbage MUST be collected each week otherwise serious health issues are going to arise. Dogs roam our streets and chickens peck through the plastic bags with their beaks. And then there are the cats. Plus the smell!!

I was going to shout that heads must roll for this shocking and woeful continuation with the garbage problems that having been going on for months and months.

Unfortunately, if that was to happen it would only make our uncollected garbage cans even more full and the smell of rotting heads would only entice more dogs to make more mess.

It would also contribute to even more silence – even less mouths to make a statement. I, therefore, take back that comment of rolling heads. Forget I said that.

Unfortunately, it is no laughing matter.

The POWER should be in our own hands to vehemently demand improvements quickly and apologies provided instantly with explanation when the garbage is not collected on time.

That is, when there are no more POWER outages.