In the Monday edition of Stabroek News, a letter writer noted that he was frustrated after waiting for four weeks for the City Council or contracted trucks to collect garbage from Middle Road, La Penitence.
Letter writer E Whyte said that he had ventilated this issue in an earlier letter published in this newspaper on November 6, 2012 to which City Council PRO Royston King had responded that the trucks collect garbage every two weeks and if that was not the case that he should call his office.
Whyte said he is currently “sick and tired of calling this office” and suggested that the Council hire more contractors to clean zones seven, eight and nine as the garbage heap on Hunter Street is becoming a traffic hazard. Further, Whyte said he was concerned about the public health threat if the rainy season starts before the city is cleaned.
In a press release issued on Monday, the Council said the city generates over 180 tonnes of garbage daily; most of which is collected by the Council via contractors or its Solid Waste Management Department. So far this year, the City Council has spent about $60 million on waste collection.
However, the Council acknowledges that residents in areas seven and eight: West Ruimveldt, East Ruimveldt, East La Penitence, Middle Road La Penitence, Castello Housing Scheme, North East La Penitence, Queenstown, Alberttown, South Cummingsburg, North Cummingsburg, Kingston, Woolford Avenue and Thomas Lands have been experiencing prolonged delays due to the challenge it faces in procuring spare parts for its trucks.
Currently, five trucks are in the workshop for repairs and two are working in different wards. Further, some of the spares needed cannot be sourced locally and this is holding up efforts to service these vehicles.
Nevertheless, Cevons Waste Management and Puran Brothers are providing collection service to other wards in the city.
The Council is appealing to those affected by the delays to be patient as it is doing everything practicable to have all of its trucks at working at optimum performance.
