The thought of the V.I. Waste Management Authority calling for a strike is another one of those, “Are you kidding me?” moments — especially now, in the dead of summer.
With temperatures soaring, and humidity at an all-time high, the last thing Virgin Islanders need are mountains of rotting trash all over neighborhoods. The stench will be overwhelming and unbearable.
In the best of times, we struggle with dumpsters that are unpleasant and unsightly. Now, the threat of a trash catastrophe, coupled with every type of vermin that will come with it, will push everyone over the edge.
With all due respect to all parties concerned, come to the bargaining table with reasonable expectations and results.
The Virgin Islands cannot take the hit of a trash strike. We don’t want to gain the reputation as a filthy, disgusting, disease-ridden place for residents and tourists. It would put the nail in our tourism coffin.
We need the teams handling this dilemma to be proactive in finding a solution to this collective bargaining problem that will be fair to all.
These negotiations seem to plague us in every department of government, every few years, and the stress of these situations does little for public confidence.
Allowing the situation to reach the critical level of a strike is dangerous to the well-being of the Virgin Islands, both in the short-term as well as the future.
— Maria Ferreras is a longtime St. Thomas resident and community volunteer
Maria Ferreras