NGOs submit plan
Rain doused burning garbage at the Princes Street dump yesterday causing clouds of noxious smoke to drift over nearby communities as the city and government mobilized machinery to fight the menace.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and the Guyana Citizens Initiative (GCI) unveiled a detailed proposal to deal with the issue after what the NGOs called a “disappointing outcome” from a meeting of all stakeholders on Wednesday.
Yesterday morning Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall, Works Minister Robeson Benn and city mayor Hamilton Green were among the officials who visited the dump site. Heavy duty machinery including excavators were being taken to the area yesterday to work on turning up and soaking the dump.
At a press briefing yesterday afternoon Rupert Roopnaraine, Project Director of GCI said that the immediate focus should be on extinguishing the fire and because neither of the Ministries nor the city council had yet come up with a feasible plan to do such; the NGOs have sought the advice of technical experts and devised their own.
Trench
The plan entails the digging of a trench – 15 feet deep and 4 feet in width – around the dump, which should then be filled with truck loads of wet mud. The mud will seal the sides of the burning dump which will then have to be soaked simultaneously by three 4-6 inch pumps. The digging of the trench around the 5-7 acres dump should take one day; Roopnaraine said, adding that by adopting this procedure the fires at the dump will be brought under control within two weeks. He added that the “dribbling” of water on the dump that is occurring at present is not doing anything. Areas should also be progressively capped as they are filled.
He went on to say that putting out the fire is only part of the plan since if the “poor management” of the dump continues then the city will be faced with the same problems again in the future. And in light of the fact that the proposed Haag Bosch facility will not be ready soon, proper management is essential.
He said that the compaction of waste and daily application of earth over material that is dumped should be done. If possible, gases –mainly carbon dioxide and methane- should be collected in an environmentally friendly manner. If not collected methane when it reaches a concentration of between 5-15% will combust spontaneously.
Screening of waste – a process that has been neglected-should be undertaken, excluding flammable waste such as molasses that is converted into alcohol which is extremely flammable, materials from burnt buildings and tires.
Clinic
Meanwhile, a source at City Hall’s Dorothy Bailey Clinic told Stabroek News earlier yesterday that no provisions had been made for residents in the dump’s vicinity to go for medical attention at the clinic. The source told this newspaper that the doctor at the clinic provides medical care for Council workers and the children of the Council’s day care centres.
The GHRA’s and the GCI’s first joint press release earlier this week had stated that Mayor Green had said that persons needing medical attention could have gone to the clinic to seek such. However City Hall’s Public Relations Officer Debra Lewis told this newspaper yesterday afternoon that city hall has mobilized a medical team to visit the afflicted communities starting today.
In the meantime Stabroek News contacted Doctor Shamdeo Persaud from the Ministry of Health who said that his team plans to be “more aggressive” and that the Ministry’s environmental health department has been instructed to work in close conjunction with city hall’s solid waste department in monitoring what is being disposed of at the dump, since the burning of certain materials has long-term consequences for those inhaling the smoke.
Persaud said that the worst case scenario in his estimation would be respiratory problems and eye irritation; although he admitted that more serious problems could ensue if persons continue to be faced with this problem. He advised that residents take whatever precautions they could such as protecting their food.
Residents from Princes Street and other areas surrounding the dump were present at the GHRA/GCI press briefing. One resident Denise Peters took along her three-week-old baby. Peters when asked to speak pleaded with authorities to close down the dump.
“They find money for every other thing why not the dump, she lamented. The woman who lives directly opposite an active part of the dump on Princes Street said she is tired of watching her children suffer, especially early in the mornings when the smoking is in full flow.
Others residents were also very vocal about what they continue to face, with rats and roaches and mosquitoes adding to their misery. “We need mobile clinics”, another resident, Faye Peters said.
The issue of who is taking responsibility of the situation was also raised at the briefing, a forum which residents used to raise their many concerns. “Local government blaming city hall, city hall say the government ain’t giving them money, so who is at fault, one resident queried. They lamented that the problem has been in the making for many years yet authorities stood idly by and watched it escalate and even now are still laying blame.
Mention was also made of the necessity of an air quality test and a sanitizing exercise in areas affected by the dump.
Stabroek News has reported in recent weeks on the ongoing problems at the dump and on Tuesday the GHRA and GCI issued a joint release expressing their concern.
Minister Lall had told the media on Wednesday after a meeting of officials from his ministry, city hall and the public works ministry, that he was unsatisfied with the Council’s handling of the matter. He said that the solid waste department apparently needs to be “revamped”.