The two compactors that were donated to the Mayor and City Council (MCC) have still not been put into use and the locations where they are to be placed, is still to be decided.
Head of the Market and Public Health Committee of the MCC, Ranwell Jordan, told this newspaper in an interview yesterday that two prospective locations have been outlined for the placement of the compactors. He said the Stabroek and Bourda markets are the proposed sites but the final decision has to be taken at an upcoming meeting.
Jordan said that what is not clear to them is “the electricity apparatus that should be installed to cause the compactors to operate.”
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green said the council plans to train a driver and two other persons to operate the equipment. She stated that the personnel division of the council is tasked with the responsibility of advertising for such vacancies.
Mayor Hamilton Green has expressed concern over the inactivity of the pieces of equipment. He said in a letter to the editor yesterday that the compactors were handed over to the council “three months ago, which were intended to relieve the present pressure of the garbage collection system”.
But instead, the multimillion dollar equipment that was donated to the MCC by the Local Government Ministry, were found to be defective shortly after they were given to the council. They were subsequently sent back to the buyer to have the problem rectified but since their return they have been dormant.
Green said this was because of “the attitude of the Sooba-controlled administration.” He added that the fact that the compactors were still idle was “a symbol of disgrace; they are like green statues to the east of the mayoral complex off Charlotte Street for all to see.”
The letter went on to state that “in addition to the two compactors not being put into use, the administration of the council has failed to put in place appropriate procedures to ensure that trucks and ancillary equipment are functioning. Worse, there is evidence that the Town Clerk (ag) is imposing her will on the workshop to determine who is brought in to effect repairs to some of our vehicles.”
