The situation remained bleak as the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) admitted yesterday that its workers were managing to collect less than half of the garbage generated by the city on a daily basis.
Private garbage collectors suspended their services over a month ago and unhealthy mini-dumps have since appeared in various areas.
Director of the City’s Solid Waste Management Depart-ment Hubert Urling said his department in collaboration with the City Engineer’s Department was ensuring fortnightly collection of garbage but could only gather some 40 tonnes a day. The contractors collected 110 tonnes a day, he said.
Deputy Mayor Robert Williams put it at 65 tonnes as against 130 tonnes and said yesterday at City Hall’s statutory meeting that “a lot more needs to be done” in relation to the garbage crisis.
“We are working towards bringing it under control so at least persons have fortnightly collection,” Urling said.
While Urling admits that they will not be able to match the service provided by the contractors, he is hoping that the new routine will be able to capture everyone.
Urling said the plan was to send out field officers in advance to areas that they will visit. There will also be announcements through the media, he added.
Williams then asked why a MacPac road sweeper has been lying in City Hall’s compound for over a week instead of being used. The sweeper apparently is a new vehicle which the council has acquired and Urling said an operator is currently being trained in the use of the vehicle.
Urling explained to the councillors yesterday that they had identified and trained an operator for the vehicle but the man later changed his mind and a new person has to be trained to operate the vehicle.
Besides, the parked MacPac, the collection of garbage is being hampered by tractors which break down and private trucks not turning up to work, Urling said. “So far some vehicles are going to be improved upon,” Urling added.
Meanwhile, dumping by persons persists. Yesterday, a quick drive through the city showed several roadside dumps. At one dump site on the corner of James and Sussex streets, persons were seen dropping off bulging garbage bags.
Urling said “skip bins” are being created to be placed at the markets and later at strategic points within the city for persons to dump their garbage.
Contractors had suspended their services after City Hall failed to come up with $75 million it owes the three collection companies. To date $12 million has been paid.
