Minister Whittaker threatens termination of Region 7 solid waste contract

WHILE visiting the Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) community of Bartica, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, in a meeting with Region 7 solid waste contractor, Mr. Wayne Nurse, threatened to sever that contractual arrangement if he does not “get it right.”

Under the regional component of the “Clean Up My Guyana Programme,” the ministry announced the tendering of contracts for the purpose of managing solid waste in the other nine administrative regions, for which Nurse was awarded the Region 7 contract by “competitive means.”
When this publication visited the region in August, the concern was raised that Nurse had not been strictly fulfilling his obligations in developing the site to be used as a landfill similar to Haags Bosch, at Eccles.
The issue was raised with the Local Government Minister, who gave the assurance that he would look into the matter; he did so by telling Nurse to “get it right” with a deadline of October 15 to do so.
High on the agenda of the meeting held last Friday, the minister met with the Region 7 solid waste contractor, Mr. Wayne Nurse; Interim Management Committee Chairman of the Bartica Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Mr. Ovid Benjamin; Region 7 Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Peter Ramotar and other officials from the RDC, NDC and Local Government Ministry.
Responding to the concerns raised by the minister, Nurse confirmed that there were some shortcomings in the works. One such concern he said was the identification and development of an access road to the site.
Nurse explained that while in the process of fulfilling his obligations, he sought the agreement of the NDC to have the road built from the Byderabo area. However, when the road was near completion, Nurse added, there was an outcry from residents that the road should not be built in its place because, “It is a private entrance.”
Minister Whittaker sought to clarify to the parties present that it was the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment to “make the official pronouncement on the suitability of any site” in order to ensure that there were “no encumbrances,” in determining whether the site was state owned or privately owned.
The contractor interjected that an alternative plan was devised to use the Bartica Potaro Road as an access point. He said however that the option “became much more costly,” further adding that, that was “not within the means of general sanitation enterprise to provide or build such a road of high cost.”
Following a meeting with the RDC Chairman, Mr. Gordon Bradford and the REO, Nurse disclosed that after this meeting, the new site for the access road was settled, but there were some concerns on the financing of the project.
Differing, the NDC Chairman made clear that the local government body had played a part by providing sand and loom to the contractor.
He further explained that the contractor had allegedly gotten into a quarrel with the residents in relation to the dumping of garbage, which in itself was due to the residents’ ignorance of the arrangements.
The parties present, expressing their faith in Nurse as a competent individual in the field of solid-waste management, agreed to have the access road established using the shorter route which is through the One Mile area.
In other matters, another concern was raised that Nurse had been charging a “tipping fee” from entities for the use of the site. Minister Whittaker explained that while charging such a fee is sometimes permitted, this is done only in cases where there is a “cost of operations.”
Whittaker said that once the site would have been fully operational, then a tipping fee may be charged allowing other entities to use the site besides the contractor; however, this would be done at a rate that is regulated by the relevant authorities.
Minister Whittaker, in concluding remarks, expressed the willingness to work along with all of the entities in developing their capacities to “improve the environment” and provide services of standard to residents.

(By Derwayne Wills)