The Mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Green yesterday declared that the city is facing a “crisis in garbage” while Director of the City’s Solid Waste Management Depart-ment, Hubert Urlin, assured that the problem will be corrected during the upcoming week.
Urlin, during a press briefing at City Hall, explained that one of the city’s contractors has been experiencing a few setbacks over the past few weeks but pointed out that he has since been guaranteed by the said contractor that the problem will be resolved within 48 hours.
“Generally, with approaching the end of the year, Christmas being the shopping period of the year, we did anticipate the amount of garbage generated and as such, the amount of garbage we had to move… this year, being no exception, the contractors, except for the one… more or less have geared their minds towards that,” he explained.
He noted that a daily clearance of garbage is provided to the centre district and said that with this service, there should be no need for the dumping of garbage at various locations about the city, especially by persons in the commercial arena.
“This kind of behaviour, on the part of members of the business community, could not be one that is favourable to us in terms of our arrangement for collection of garbage and leads to the unsightly appearance of the city,” Urlin stated.
He stated that a sense of responsibility needs to be shown by members of the public in simply ensuring that their garbage is ready for collection at the point of time that the trucks are scheduled to pass through the area.
“Our observation has also been, that for example, in front of the Stabroek area, in front the police outpost which was photographed by the media, we went into the area only Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning fresh to start, there was another heap of garbage placed there. Certainly that can be considered irresponsible behaviour on the part of whoever the waste generator is,” Urlin charged.
He suggested that persons unwilling to comply with what is being asked be penalized.
City Constabulary Head Andrew Foo noted that a number of challenges have been faced due to the financial difficulties. “Out of four, one constabulary vehicle is up and running,” he reported.
He stated that additional officers need to be recruited to assist with identifying perpetrators but this, he said, will require financing.
“A number of persons have been prosecuted for dumping, including business people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Urlin indicated that residents of Campbellville, South Ruimveldt, North Ruimvelt, McDoom, Agricola, Cummings Lodge all through to Campbellville, Lodge, Meadowbrook and La Penitence among others, can look forward to regular collection service from next week.
Also addressed was the reported late submission of the council’s budget to the Ministry of Local Government.
Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe said that the budget was presented to the Ministry and that it was explained that it was not yet approved by councillors. She indicated that the Government does not have to approve the council’s budget and pointed out that it was submitted on November 15.
