Communities such as in Delta IV complain they do not have a tip where they can throw away their rubbish so they just pile it up anywhere on the streets.
“I urged the communities to work together with the Village Chief to clean their neighbourhood on Saturday afternoons. Each resident will clean their own home front, at the back and on the sides so that the workers from Water and Sanitation can come and collect the rubbish collected,” said the Chief of Village Delta IV, Jose Tilman, last week, in Delta IV, Comoro, in Dili.
In the meantime a worker from the Water and Sanitation Services (SAS), Jaime Castelhano, said the community’s action in throwing away rubbish arbitrarily will have a serious impact during the rainy season as it will cause flooding and will prevent people from moving freely around Dili.
SAS Worker Castelhano is more concerned though with the $3 he makes per day clearing rubbish around Dili.
“I am not happy with my salary because I cannot do anything about my daily needs with it. Every day I get $3 so I urge the government to look into this matter because our work is very labour intensive.”
Member of Parliament Maria Fernanda Lay on the other hand said it is everyone’s responsibility to clean their home surroundings.
“I do not believe rubbish is the sole responsibility of the government, I think it is everyone’s responsibility to throw their rubbish in the appropriate locations,” said MP Lay.
Epen Ximenes a resident of the community of Delta IV, said the community was throwing away rubbish arbitrarily because they lack a conscience and because they are not familiar with the concept of loving a clean environment.
“I know Dili’s Administration has already prepared rubbish tips in villages and hamlets but we do not have enough maturity and are not familiar with how to love living in a clean neighbourhood.”
