By Telesha Ramnarine
Residents in Georgetown have been enduring persistent issues with garbage collection and disposal.
Each week, they place their waste barrels on the streets for collection, only to find that their trash is not picked up for days or weeks.
Meanwhile, parapets throughout the city are cluttered with refuse, and illegal dumping sites continue to increase, exacerbating the problem.
Despite the Mayor and City Council’s frequent complaints about being underfunded, the situation has become highly politicised, leaving residents to bear the brunt of the crisis.
Steven Jacobs, a PPP/C Councillor for Constituency Two, which includes the Subryanville/Kitty areas, has criticised the City Council’s handling of the garbage situation, attributing the problems to the council’s long-standing leadership by the PNC-led APNU over the past 50 years.
To help the situation, Jacobs noted that at the most recent statutory meeting, approval was given for the purchase of a new garbage truck, a dump truck, and several skip bins.
These will be funded through government subvention and are expected to be operational by the end of the year.
Furthermore, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is training litter wardens and even some Council administrators who can help to curb the problem of littering across the City.
A suggestion was also made, according to Jacobs, regarding the timing of the Haags Bosch Landfill Site to allow for contractors to also be able to use the facility at nights.
Meanwhile, Heston Bostwick, former APNU Councillor, and current Manager of Constituency 10, which takes in the Albouystown/Charlestown areas, believes that there is no comprehensive plan for maintenance in place.
In an interview at the News Room, he said while many residents are disgruntled about the manner in which garbage is being collected, they have become used to the problem and simply sit back and wait for whichever day the collectors will come.
Beginning Friday, workers under the Community Infrastructure Improvement Programme of the Ministry of Local Government, will begin with the clearing of clogged drains and overgrown bushes in the vicinity of Garnett and De Abreu Streets.
The Ministry of Public Works and the Guyana Water Inc. were also engaged to play their part in the exercise
That stench in the City of GT must be coming from the halls of the high RANKS and SMELL.
I cannot comprehension there is Mayor and City Council ,monies are allocated from central Government ,tax collected and all sundry are affected, and this issue is continuing!
I must acknowledge garbage disposal issues in developed countries but not as in Guyana where there seem to be no solution .
Guyana’s garbage disposal is not confined to Georgetown rather is ‘pandemic’ here because is affecting most places in the country.
In my view and would like to suggest that systems be put in place in collaboration with the private sector for a robust re-cycling system which can help in the alleviating the building and piling of waste.
Cardboard boxes,glass bottles,plastic bottles,wood and other metals can be segregated by anyone and collected.These are practices which are done else where.
Why should the Minister be ‘over seeing’ the removal of waste when there are designated officers who are paid to undertake this role.