–to ensure effectiveness, sustainability of $500M cleanup campaign

RECOGNISING the role of the private sector in the current garbage situation in Georgetown, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Norman Whittaker, is calling on business people to take action to help improve the situation. 

At the fourth consultation for the $500M cleanup Georgetown project last Saturday at the Campbellville Secondary School, Whittaker noted that while the private sector has been very vocal in the call for effective solid waste management, they have contributed considerably to the situation.
While engaging the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is not out of the cards, Minister Whittaker stated that a more beneficial approach would be to invite private sector entities in each community. He said, “I would wish to see business people coming together and taking responsibility for streets.”

USING SOCIAL REJECTS
Concerns were raised at the consultation where citizens recalled that businesses in the community have contributed to garbage by illegal dumping. Whittaker in his remarks responded, “The private sector makes the biggest noise and they are among the biggest contributors of garbage using social rejects to dump any and everywhere.”
He said, “If we engage the business people within the locale where they are familiar with the circumstances… [And] where they can be put under pressure by the people [of the community] to be part of the implementation and sustainability and where they have the local knowledge; it might be the better way to go.”

“The private sector makes the biggest noise and they are among the biggest contributors of Garbage using social rejects to dump any and everywhere”- Minister Norman Whittaker

Collaborative efforts with private sector entities, Whittaker said, would be facilitated through the Technical Committee of the Georgetown Solid Waste Management Programme. The Committee was established as an interagency effort and includes representatives from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, and the Georgetown Mayor & City Council (M&CC).

BROTHER’S KEEPER
The Minister called on citizens to be their brother’s keeper in ensuring pride for the upkeep of their immediate surroundings, which will effectively improve environmental conditions in communities. “We are all contributors to the sanitation and environmental problems in Guyana, when we fail to correct [the] wrongs that we see; we have, by extension, contributed to the act.”
The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment in June held a National Conversation on Solid Waste Management where subject Minister, Mr. Robert Persaud bemoaned that the Private Sector representatives had not attended the event even though they were invited.

OLD HABITS
While the Minister noted that legislation is not always the most effective way for changing systemic behaviour, he called for community representatives to recognise the role that they must play in ensuring that effective and sustainable solid waste management practices are upheld.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
Asserting the importance of legislation, the Minister said that the Solid Waste Management Bill is to be re-tabled in the National Assembly before the end of this session. “That bill will make provision among other things for the increase in fines and [will] deter people from doing the wrong things.”
Whittaker was adamant that the Bill will “redefine the way we deal with solid waste in this country.” He added that provisions will be made for the setup of an independent Solid Waste Management Authority, “That will be responsible for solid waste management across the country.”

(By Derwayne Wills)