The Ministry of Health and Social Development’s interdepartmental partnership with His Majesty’s Prison is bearing fruit with improvements to waste disposal practices and environmental sustainability at the facility. 

The initiative took shape following a recent Senior Management Team (SMT) meeting chaired by Permanent Secretary Ms. Tasha Bertie and brought together Heads of Departments of Waste Management and HM Prisons to address shared challenges and strengthen inter-agency cooperation.

During the session, concerns were raised about the safe and reliable removal of waste from the prison compound resulting in the reinstatement of a dedicated garbage bin that has already improved cleanliness, safety and daily operations.

Both teams are also working together to advance recycling efforts and reduce the volume of waste going to the landfill. The next steps include renewed engagement with Green VI, following a recent visit to the Island’s Eco Park by prison staff and inmates. That visit sparked ideas for embedding recycling practices into daily prison routines, linking environmental responsibility with rehabilitation and skills development for inmates.

Superintendent Kendall praised the cooperative approach, stating, “This is a great example of departments coming together create real change. I am grateful to the Director of Waste Management and the team at Green VI for their support. Together we are making our prison system cleaner, safer and more sustainable.”

The Ministry of Health and Social Development, which oversees both departments, commends this proactive collaboration and encourages other public agencies to adopt similar joint approaches that improve service delivery and heal build a greener Virgin Islands.