There are some Jamaicans who break the law on a regular basis and some will even tell you they are doing nothing wrong.

A woman who says she is always upset when she sees people burning garbage in her community is commending the police for taking action against a man recently who was seen burning garbage and toxic material on premises in Kingston.

According to the woman, she is very happy the man was arrested and charged and it should be a lesson to many others.

"I am always very upset when I see people burning garbage of all description in my area," the woman said.

"Sometimes I am shocked that even driving along the public roads, people are there burning garbage. I cannot understand how people can be so selfish, or is it they don't know better?

"The truth is, some of them don't even know that the smoke is dangerous to their own health. They burn everything in their way without even thinking about other people, particularly young children who are suffering from respiratory problems like asthma.

"My 12-year-old son suffers from asthma and I always have to be giving him medication when people start to burn garbage in my community. I spoke to some of my neighbours about my son's medical condition. They cooperate sometimes but it seems that sometimes they forget about my son's medical condition and burn their garbage although the garbage truck comes to collect garbage on a weekly basis.

better things to do

"The crime rate is so high these days and the police have a lot of work to do. It seems such a waste of time for people to be calling the police to deal with problems like the burning of garbage when the citizens ought to know better," the woman said.

The National Solid Waste Management Act sets out the penalties that can be imposed if persons are found guilty of breaching the act. There is a maximum fine of $1 million or a term not exceeding nine months for certain offences.

Section 45 of the act states in part that "every person who disposes of solid waste in any area or in any manner not approved by the authority commits an offence "and, on conviction in a Resident Magistrate's Court, can be fined $1 million or be sent to prison for a term not exceeding nine months. The person can also be fined and imprisoned.