Shelter in Place regulations, the lockdown and curfew meant that with more people at home all day and night generated more than the average amount of household garbage.

For the Ministry of Public Works and the Department of Waste Management, the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic translated into a whole heap of excess garbage.

It also translated into an increase in the age-old problem of illegal dumping in Bermuda, an offence that carries a maximum penalty up to $10,000.

But when was the last time you’ve seen someone, anyone, actually fined that amount for illegal dumping?

The question may very well be has it ever happened – getting a straight answer came with a lot of rhetoric but no firm precedents for weeks – until we asked the Minister of Public Works, Lieutenant Colonel David Burch.

We asked him point blank: “Has anyone ever been charged and fined the maximum penalty for illegal dumping in Bermuda?”

His answer – one word – was no!

That begs the question: “What’s the point of having laws on the books if you don’t enforce them?”

But based on a clear warning sounding several weeks ago by the Minister – all of that is about to change.

In the meantime, however, you have areas like this, up at the west end of the island, where every single day, you will find this area bubbling over with excess household trash.

The dumpsters at the east bound bus stop at Watford Bridge were put there for the residents who live on Ferry Lane because the garbage trucks are too big to get up that hill.

But on any given day or night, it is not unusual to see residents from other areas, casually drive up, go to the trunk of their cars, remove their trash bags and dump them with the rest of the pile.

The mindset:  ‘Not in my backyard’, also known as the ‘NIMBY Syndrome’ and it is running rampant in Bermuda!

And apparently it even transcends religious grounds, as this journalist has obtained a video of a well known local pastor, who lives in Hamilton Parish, who also commutes to Westgate Correctional Facility on a regular basis to visit prison inmates.

What’s the problem? In spite of his Christian ideology, he clearly has no conscience when it comes down to his own household garbage.

Why you may ask – because he sees fit to bring his household trash all the way past the Drop Off facility in Devonshire – all the way up to Dockyard on a regular basis – and he’s still doing it!

For now, he will remain anonymous but if he does not stop it – we will expose you!

In the words of Cardi B no less: “It’s not a THREAT it’s a WARNING!”

Our best advice to you Mr Minister of that church – you best go pray on this and get your nasty habits straight because this is NOT going to go you way!

For the record, under the Waste and Litter Control Act (2011) illegal dumping is punishable by fines of up to $10,000.

The Minister has already stated that the real clampdown is on the way. It won’t be months down the road, it will happen within a matter of weeks; said Colonel Burch, who by the way, made that statement several weeks ago.

We have every confidence that Col Burch says what he means and means what he says. Ultimately, time will tell.

But in the interim, it would appear that warning has fallen on deaf ears.

Main Road, Somerset

In Part 2 of another Bermuda Real exclusive news series you will hear from the area residents on Ferry Lane, who at this point have gone past anger to outright disgust with this ongoing trashy situation.

After all, who wants to go home day in and day out to be greeted by this disgusting eyesore, filled with other people’s garbage piled up with their own household waste.

Ask yourself how would you feel if this was your neighbourhood? Bermuda Real readers would know that this illegal trash dumping madness is a major pet peeve.

Think we’re lying – go ask that family on Homestead Lane, in Southampton West if we’re joking. Better yet – go ask them if they will EVER dump their trash illegally on this journalist’s property EVER AGAIN! And they have yet to apologise for emotionally disturbing the elder in this house! And until they do we will keep banging their ears and all their heads!

There’s an old saying: “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” And that may be true for most of you.

There’s another old saying: “Not everybody was raised like you!”

Understand this clearly – my MOTHER did not name me EVERYBODY! And see all this nasty, dirty, trash dumping madness – not going to happen on MY WATCH!

It’s time to CLEAN UP YOUR ACT Bermuda! Trust and believe you will get some help, even if it has you kicking and screaming all the way to the powers that be with your stinking household trash!

Signed: CEO-la Wilson – Thoroughly DISGUSTED & Then Some!

To be continued with ALL eyes on YOU!