Regional evaluation municipal solid waste management services: country analytical report Grenada evaluation 2002

Grenada is an independent country located in the southern Caribbean approximately 100 miles north of
Trinidad & Tobago. The country is a full member of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). The
capital, St. Georges, is located in the southwestern portion of the Island and forms the most densely populated
portion of the main island.
Control of all affairs, both internal and external, is exercised by the Central Government which is located in St.
Georges. The Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority (GSWMA) is a fully autonomous statutory body within
the government framework. Its origins in the Public Health Department and its operations continue (in theory at
least) to be monitored by that Department.
The overall population of Grenada is slightly in excess of 104,000 as of 2003. Of these, over 95,000 live on
Grenada with the balance on the smaller islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique.
The economy of Grenada is heavily dependent on agricultural exports including cocoa, nutmeg and other
spices. Bananas, which were of major importance, have declined after the European Union‘s action in establishing
preferential tariffs. Land based tourism is not a major economic factor other than as a source of foreign
currency.
The per capita waste generation rate is 0.85 kg/person/day. This low value is consistent with a relatively low
(US$4,750) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and a low number of land based visitors. In general, the St. Georges
area is not particularly attractive to tourists.
The country has 24% of all households considered to be below the poverty line. 46% of these are rated as being
in indigence. The GINI coefficient is 0.505, the second highest among the OECS countries. The high value for
the GINI coefficient is generally indicative of maldistribution of income and is usually consistent with high
poverty levels.
Life expectancy is well below average for the OECS countries at 64.5 years.
Illiteracy rates are very low at 2% of the population with no significant difference between males and females.
The education system follows the normal pattern for the Caribbean countries of British origin.
Management of solid waste disposal is centralized under GSWMA. The establishment of GSWMA was a direct
result of the World Bank/Caribbean Development Bank (WB/CDB) solid waste initiatives of 1995. These initiatives
in Grenada have led to much improved collection coverage, improved landfills, a firm legislative system for
solid waste management and an excellent cost recovery system.
Solid waste collection in Grenada has been fully privatized, eliminating considerable load at the GSWMA administrative
level as well as all potential equipment maintenance problems associated with the collection equipment.
GSWMA does maintain three compactors of its own for emergency use by the collection contractors.
The main strengths of the system are the highly effective cost recovery system and the privatization of the collection
services and the much improved disposal facilities when the new Perseverance landfill site comes into
use.
The weaknesses of the system include the lack of full definition of responsibility and authority for the monitoring
services assigned to the Public Health Department in the controlling legislation. The absence of any regulations
supporting the solid waste legislation is also a major weakness.
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
COUNTRY ANALYTICAL REPORT GRENADA 1
A minor weakness exists in the delay which often occurs in the transfer of funds from the Government
Consolidated Fund to GSWMA. This is a common problem in all OECS jurisdictions.
The absence of regulations backing up the legislation on solid waste may eventually be a serious limitation on
GSWMA functions.