By Sailu Bah
Fish smokers and vendors behind the old Yundum market say the football
field near their working place has now been transformed into a dumping site which poses threat to their health and hampers their work.
Speaking to the fish smokers and vendors at their work place on Wednesday 3rd September 2014, Isatou Bah, a fish monger said they are facing lots of difficulties in their work because of the dumpsite which is very close to their work place.
Isatou Bah further lamented that the place is full of insects like flies that disturb them. She added that the odour is very terrible and compels them not to stay long at the place.
“For how long are we going to suffer like this?” She asked. “We cannot leave the place because this is where we get our earnings to feed our families and settle our personal needs,” she explained.
Amie Touray, a fish smoker also said it is a big problem to them when it rains as the waste from the dumpsite is usually carried away by water to their working place which is disgusting.
Touray further added that the place was used as a football field before and young people come there to play football but now it is littered with waste.
“The Area council used to collect the waste frequently during those days but now hardly do we see them collecting the waste, and this is the reason why the waste has spread all over the area,” she explained.
FatouTouray also reiterated the comments made by the previous speakers and further said that this is not good to their health. She stated that their work is usually delayed because of the waste thrown at the football field by different people. She added that people throw any kind of things at the site, which causes very bad odour to the place.
“We are very much in need of help, we are pleading to the government and the local authorities to intervene if not we will find it difficult to continue using the place,” she noted.
Speaking to the Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the Brikama Area Council, Modou Jonga, he said this is a great concern to them as a council. According to Mr. Jonga, they often collect waste from that area, adding that the place was only designated for the people in the market to throw waste and it would be collected by them, but now waste is being thrown there by the people within the community. He added that the place is not a dumpsite for the community and as such people should stop dumping waste in that place.
“Waste management is very complex and the council cannot do it alone, so people should change their attitudes towards waste management,” he advised.
In conclusion he said they have plans for that place and soon they will remedy the situation.]]>
