Residents of Bartica have expressed concern over the dumping of garbage by a private entity along the shoulders of the roadway in the interior mining community by a private entity.
According to a letter addressed to the Local Government Ministry and which was seen by this newspaper, the residents noted that the Neighbourhood Demo-cratic Council (NDC) of the community has for a number of years paid little attention to the “lawless disposal” of garbage at the Byderabo Garbage Dumpsite by a sanitation company owned by a Bartician. The site is located close to Second Avenue.
Attempts by this newspaper to obtain a comment on the issue from Chairman of the NDC, Gerald Joseph, yesterday were futile.
According to the letter, the private entity has been dumping garbage along the roadway of the dumpsite and has made claims that the vehicle which transports the garbage cannot access the dumpsite. The stench created by the situation has been affecting residents in the vicinity of the site, mainly in the Second Avenue area.
The residents said alligators and other reptiles have been frequenting the area since various food items, including the remains of meat are dumped in the area. The letter contained an attachment of some 40 signatures of Barticians.
Reports are that more than five years ago, the private entity entered into an arrangement with the NDC and has been collecting garbage from the homes of residents for a $1,500 per month fee.
Some time after, residents expressed dissatisfaction at the manner in which the man has been disposing refuse and raised objections which were indicated to the NDC.
However, the council has been “quiet all the time and we even reported this matter to the Local Government Ministry several times but we never get any action,” a senior resident of the community said.
The man said too that the authorities had identified a section of the land at Byderabo to be used as a garbage site and tests were undertaken on the soil to this effect.
The track of land is located some distance away from the community and the land which is privately owned was made available to the government by its owners. “That was years now the woman said she is ready to sell the land to the government because we want a better alternative since Bartica becoming more populated,” the man said.
The residents have since dispatched letters expressing their disgust at the current situation to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of the President as they call on the government to address the situation.
