ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority is seeking new vendors in addition to considering an in-house solution now that Bates Trucking & Trash Removal will no longer collect garbage on St. Croix from house-to-house customers and housing communities at the beginning of the new year, according to a WMA spokesperson.
As WMA addresses the transition of trash-collection services managed by Bates Trucking, the Authority’s goal is to always be able to serve the community, Lorna Nichols-Minkoff, WMA communications director, said.
“We are negotiating right now working on solutions,” she said. “We’re currently getting quotes from vendors to take over the Bates house-to-house collection routes, and we will definitely keep everyone posted.”
James Bates, owner of Bates Trucking, told WTJX that he would no longer collect garbage from more than 4,000 homes and all the housing communities on St. Croix beginning January 1, 2025 due to significant unpaid debts. He said he must lay off about 20 employees who service those routes as a result.
Although WMA owes Bates for services rendered, Nichols-Minkoff said she had no information regarding the status of his payment. She said, however, that the Authority anticipates it will be able to identify funds to pay a new contractor.
“We’re just waiting for monies to come in from different sources,” she said.
If WMA is unable to secure a contract with a new vendor to take over the collection routes, Nichols-Minkoff said the Authority is considering having its own employees pick up the trash.
“We have a meeting coming up with the Public Services Commission, so all of these things will be on the table,” she said, noting WMA is on the agenda for the PSC’s next public meeting scheduled for February 2025.
