The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development on Tuesday signed a US$1.5M ($300M) agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for solid waste management. The Guyana Solid Waste Management Project will see the purchase of two compactor trucks and other equipment to strengthen solid waste management in the six municipalities.
The three-part project is being funded by the India/Brazil/South Africa (IBSA) Trust Fund and is being implemented by the UNDP, a release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. It will see the rehabilitation of six municipal markets in Georgetown, Anna Regina, Rose Hall, Linden, Corriverton and New Amsterdam.
Washroom facilities will also be installed at the newly built market tarmacs to further encourage vendors to ply their trade at the tarmacs instead of along the roadways or on the pavements.
At the signing, Minister Norman Whittaker said that appropriate disposal of solid waste became a huge problem after the development of roadside vending. He revealed that a board comprising eight representatives from the health, agriculture and finance ministries will be established to oversee the project.
The project will also seek to educate the public on environmentally friendly disposal practices through the use of flyers, brochures and advertisements.
Two compactor trucks and semi excavators will also be purchased to facilitate garbage collection and disposal at the Haags Bosch landfill.
GINA said that Indian High Commissioner to Guyana (ag) Tirath Singh; Brazil’s Ambassador to Guyana Luiz Guilberto Seixas De Andrade, UNDP Resident Coordinator Khadija Musa and Permanent Secretary at the ministry Collin Croal also attended the meeting.
