A company in the Industrial Site, Ruimveldt area, where dumping has become a norm, plans to use its surveillance cameras to identify perpetrators in the hope that this will lead to them being prosecuted.
A build-up of garbage at the intersection, left of Mandela Avenue, that was highlighted in Stabroek News’ new year’s edition, is not only still there, but has grown.
An official from the company, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was still to communicate with other businesses operating in the area about a plan to put a stop to the dumping. He said security cameras on the company’s building, will also be used to identify individuals who persistently dump garbage at the intersection.
Yesterday, a security guard working in the area told this newspaper that a habitual offender was a man from West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme with a donkey cart who arrives at approximately 12 noon. “He comes on the weekend with a cart load of garbage to burn it there,” said the guard, who opined that the situation was ridiculous. The guard said that the man, when scolded about dumping at the intersection, asserted that he burns the garbage he dumps there, while making it known that removing refuse was his source of income.
A driver in the area opined that dumping was making the area insanitary. He pointed to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) daycare that is located a stone’s throw away from the intersection. He added that the environmental tax the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is receiving should be paid to the M&CC to help with the insurmountable garbage situation not only there but around the country.
Meanwhile, Stabroek News has been informed that the community of Agricola that benefited from the clean-up campaign conducted by the Ministry of Local Government in December 2013, remains relatively clean.
Welton Clarke of Remus Street Agricola, East Bank Demerara, said that the streets that benefited from the campaign (Remus and Titus Streets) is relatively clean. However, he said that the alley leading out to the main road on the southern side of Remus Street is still to be properly cleaned. He opined that the way forward for the community becoming less garbage infested, is a collaborative effort. He added that he is in the process of getting a ball field ready for the youths in that community in an effort to further develop Agricola.
This newspaper was also informed of another unofficial dumpsite at Sussex and Hogg streets, Albouystown. When this reporter visited the site yesterday, it had been cleared, but there was overwhelming evidence of what had been there.
Efforts to get a comment about the dumped garbage at Industrial Site and Hogg and Sussex streets from the Mayor and City Council were futile.
