Private garbage collectors providing services to the occupants of the city are still awaiting payments from the Mayor and City Council.
Puran Brothers Disposal and Cevon’s Waste Management are owed millions of dollars.
Kaleshwar Puran, manager of Puran Bros Disposal Inc said yesterday that his company was told it should expect part of its payment during this week.
However, Chief Executive Officer of Cevon’s Waste Management Morse Archer said his company had not received any word from the city administration as when it can expect payment. Archer told Stabroek News that his company would be meeting with city officials today to discuss a payment plan.
Archer said the debt has placed his company in financial straits. He said every time the company contacts the City Council it is promised a payment, but the “promises never materialised.”
He added that his company is also looking at the future of its operations with City Council. “They started with the cleanup and we helped because we looked at the Jubilee celebrations so we tried our best and worked to make to city clean,” Archer said. Asked if what would be the next move if no payment is forthcoming, Archer said, the company would have to act in its own best interest. He stated that to date his company is owed $139 million, which backdates to August 2015.
Additionally, Puran said his company has reached the limit with its bank overdraft and had to write to the bank asking for time, as well as to its suppliers of materials. Puran’s is said to be owed in excess of $40 million for garbage collection around the city in the months of January to April, and for works carried out at Haags Bosch dumpsite it is owed approximately $20 million.
After weeks of trying to contact the Town Clerk, Puran said, “They said, they would pay us this week, late Friday they told us that.”
Efforts to contact the city administration for a comment proved futile.
The City Council is said to be in a financial crisis and is currently looking to source revenue to offset its expenses.
