Georgetown : Cabinet had approved a $37M for the acquisition of 827 waste disposal bins to better effect solid waste management in 15 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region Four and the Georgetown Municipality.
The first set of these bins was handed over to representatives of the NDCs by Minister in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker, yesterday at the ministry. Also present were Permanent Secretary (PS) Collin Croal and the Project Manager (ag) Georgetown Solid Waste Management Programme Gordon Giles.
The bins with volumes of 240,660 and 11,000 cubic-metres are for specific identified public spaces including schools and hospitals’ compounds, health centres, and markets in the NDCs and in Georgetown.
“This is just another phase, another step, another part of our effort to bring improvement to the way, we deal with solid waste collection and disposal in Region Four,” Minister Whittaker said.
He pointed out that the ministry’s effort with solid waste disposal has not been confined to Region Four, and that the ministry has been looking at addressing the issue in the other regions. He pointed to the ministry’s focus on the solid waste contracts between the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) and solid waste contractors in the regions outside of Region Four. He admitted that there have been some teething problems, in this effort but said that ministry has been working to improve on them.
Minister Whittaker also emphasised cost, and the importance of the use and security of the bins, and urged that the NDC officials encourage the residents to use the bins.
Tenders for the bins were advertised internationally and the contract was awarded to Unit Export Limited of England. The bins arrived in Guyana about a month ago.
Meanwhile, Minister Whittaker also announced that the ministry is working with the Georgetown Municipality and the Ministry of Public Works in a clean up exercise that has already started in preparation for the visit of Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro who is scheduled to arrive on Saturday, August 31, for an one-day state visit.
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