If you’ve been wondering why there’s trash piled up everywhere you look, wonder no more. According to news sources since “April 11, 2011, Town Hall employees have been on strike for four days, requesting higher wages, which has affected waste disposal across the city” (Source: Sydney Confidential, 2011). 
Besides the inconvenience of the strike, it has also affected our air quality and contributed to other environmental concerns. People who live in Carthage and La Marsa may not have noticed the trash problem as much since they are mostly serviced by private trash collecting companies who are not involved in the strike.
From a security perspective there are many ways to view this issue. First, it serves as a reminder of the sensitive security & political situation in Tunisia. Secondly, it is a good example of the many challenges ahead for the incoming government. Finally, this issue should serve to remind us that things are not “back to normal”.
These lessons are important for us to take note of especially for expats who usually put their guard down quicker than the local population because news tends to trickle in slower into their reality. Although it seems like the issue will be settled soon, it still reminds us to wake up and smell the proverbial coffee…
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