Residents of William and Queen streets, Kitty, have been waiting for almost two weeks for their garbage to be picked up.
The frustrated residents have said the bins were placed on the roadway with the expectation that they would be emptied last Tuesday, but this has not been the case as they are still waiting.
Residents told Stabroek News that after the city took up the responsibility for garbage collection, following the exit of Puran Brothers Waste Disposal Inc and Cevons Waste Management Inc over non-payment, they have been enduring an unreliable service.
During a visit to the area yesterday, barrels and bags filled with garbage lined the streets and stray animals were seen rummaging through some of them. An obnoxious odour also permeated the air and residents said the garbage has been attracting files.
Residents complained that they have put out their garbage since last week and it is yet to be picked up.
“It has been here for about two weeks. Since they come [two Tuesdays ago] they never come back and it keeps piling up,” Clinton Skeete said.
He noted that since William Street is being used as detour while construction works are ongoing on the Rupert Craig Highway, passersby have also been dumping their waste in the bins, further contributing to pile up.
Another William street resident said stray dogs would frequent the area to search through the garbage. “If you look around, you would see a lot of dogs. They coming through the street since the garbage left here and jumping in the barrels. During the day, we can chase them but in the nights they jump in the barrels and throw away the garbage all over,” the resident said. He went on to say that the residents are suffering and called on the council to remove the garbage.
A Queen Street resident pointed out that with the garbage being on the road, they have seen an increase of flies in their homes. “Since this garbage deh out hay, we getting nuff flies. Plus, it stink we can’t even breathe properly. They come two weeks ago to pick up the garbage and never return I don’t understand this,” the resident said, while complaining bitterly.
Some relief may come the way of residents soon as Puran Brothers Waste Disposal Inc and Cevons Waste Management Inc have resumed providing garbage collection services to residents and businesses in the city after central government intervened to settle City Hall’s debt to them.
The companies will work under the Ministry of Communities until the end of the year. However, Town Clerk Royston King told the Sunday Stabroek that the arrangement would will be reviewed “early in the New Year.”
Both companies have said that they would resume their regular collection schedule but urged that residents be patient with them since they anticipate some amount of delay due to the high volume of garbage to be picked up.
