Litter Cart Program

Contact:
Christopher Samuel, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Spain Corporation
 
Port of Spain Corporation
UN Habitat best practice

The Litter Cart Program started almost five years ago in the Port of Spain city centre, where there was no provision for the removal of light litter. Small items such as plastic bottles, paper cups and fast food wrappings littered the streets. The regular garbage pickup is done only in the early morning and later evening.

To keep the city centre clear throughout the day, the Council of the Port of Spain Corporation, the Downtown Businessmen Association and the state-owned Solid Waste Management Company agreed to institute the Street Orderly Program. This program would use litter carts funded by corporate partners.

The hand-drawn Litter Cart is operated by three persons per cart, two to sweep and bag the litter and one to push the cart and carry off the filled bags to a designated point for transfer to the landfill site. The program employs approximately 30 persons per fortnight, 75 per cent of whom are women.

The program was suspended for a while when funding ran out, but it has now been reintroduced with funding from the government Unemployment Relief Program. Since its inception the program has grown from 4 carts to 9 carts. Short-term employment is provided to those who have difficulty finding work, especially those who have been recently released from prison or who have mental health problems. These potential workers register with the Port of Spain Corporation; those who appear most in need are selected for a two to six week rotation.