One year after securing its first littering conviction, the Department of Environmental Health has netted a $300 fine after a West Bay man was convicted of littering on private property.
On the heels of this latest conviction, the DEH has issued a warning to the public to consider the serious implications of committing the offence as it said it is taking littering seriously.
The unnamed West Bay resident was fined $300 on 20 Aug.
The DEH said during the first week of May the man in question left litter on a property on Conch Point Road, West Bay, belonging to Shoreline Development Company, without their consent.
The matter was reported to the DEH which launched an investigation leading to the charge.
“This case highlights the DEH’s commitment to maintaining the cleanliness and integrity of our environment, and serves as a warning to all residents and visitors alike,” the department said.
A further five littering cases are pending to be presented to the court by the DEH, a statement from the department said on 28 Aug.
Last August, Gayon Omar Harris, of West Bay, received a $100 fine and a $100 cost order after pleading guilty to the charge of littering in a public place.
He was the first person to have been successfully prosecuted, convicted and fined for littering since the Litter Act was initially enacted in 1982, DEH Director Richard Simms said at the time.
His charge stemmed from an act of illegal dumping, in which Harris discarded an old sofa on a public plot of land.
The location is normally used as a collection site for the Department of Environmental Health’s annual island-wide clean-up.
Simms said the hard work and dedication of “our Environmental Health Officers in upholding the Acts regarding littering is commendable”.
“We take these matters seriously and will continue to prosecute anyone caught littering. Keeping the Cayman Islands clean is a shared responsibility, and we urge everyone to do their part,” Simms added.
Under the Litter Act (1997 Revision), convictions can result in $500 fines, and/or six months imprisonment.
The community is encouraged to report any instances of littering and illegal dumping by calling DEH at 949-6696, or emailing [email protected].
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