TOWN Clerk (Ag) Ms. Yonnette Pluck has said that the actual utilisation of funds granted to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), following the signing of a grant agreement with the Ambassador of Japan Mr. Tatsuaki Iwata, has not yet started.

At the signing ceremony last March, witnesses were told that the funding will provide up to US$75,828 to City Hall and will benefit primarily the Lodge Housing Scheme and the contiguous Century Palm Gardens in Georgetown.

In an invited comment yesterday, Pluck said there are plans to procure a truck, place garbage bins in the communities and educate people about better solid waste management practices.

She said however that though the plans are in place and mobilisation works are being done, the implementation aspect of the project has not yet commenced.

She said the Municipal Director of Solid Waste Management, who is in charge of the project, returns from leave today.

The project is being financed under the Japan Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects and aims to improve solid waste management practices in the capital, with approximately 135,000 beneficiary residents.

The aid is part of a scheme for development-type projects proposed by non-governmental and community based organisations.

The project seeks to address the issue of improving the quality of life of the residents in those areas and proposes to achieve this through:

*public education campaigns and school programmes

*assistance with the provision of refuse storage receptacles to residences

*placing litter receptacles along pedestrian walkways

*placing litter bins in public transport buses plying the route

*acquisition of a refuge compactor to facilitate clearance of litter bins and

*training of staff for improved enforcement of waste management by-laws.

City Hall said, in a document circulated to the media, that this approach is to empower residents and students to fulfill their roles in solid waste management, while simultaneously empowering the Georgetown municipality to provide improved collection, environmental health education and enforcement service to the communities.

It said there is, currently, no legislation governing the provision of refuse receptacles on public transport.

The educational programme in two schools located in the two wards will use text books produced to assist with imparting knowledge, and their use will be controlled by teachers so that they can be preserved for use over several years.

As an incentive and to encourage them to act as responsible stewards of the environment, helping to monitor the behaviour of others, students will be given litter bugs Police badges.

In addition, clean-up exercises will be organised with schools administrations on an annual basis, the document said, pointing out that benefits of the project will also spill over into the wider community of Georgetown with a significant impact on all residents.