– after meeting President, Local Gov’t Minister
Cevons Waste Management and Puran Brothers Disposal Services have been given a “comfortable” sum of finance from the Government for the much needed garbage disposal exercise in the capital, even as the impasse between them and the Georgetown Mayor and City Council continues. The intervention came after representatives of the two companies met President Bharrat Jagdeo and Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Kellawan Lall yesterday at the Office of the President.
Minister Lall, who was not at liberty to disclose the size of the sum, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that it was enough for them to resume operations without any financial strain.
The Local Government Minister also disclosed other aspects of the  meeting which he said focused on an alternative to disposal of sewerage in the vicinity of Kingston with the Marriott Hotel coming on stream.
“We cannot use that site anymore to dispose sewerage and so we are exploring other venues whereby we can have an outlet to the ocean. GWI is willing to accommodate the contractor doing this work,” Minister Lall said.
The aforementioned contractors withdrew their services from the city council on June 21 after being despondent about not receiving the money owed to them by the city council.
The deadlock resulted in an intolerable garbage pile up in the city which Minister Lall said is as a result of negligence on the part of Mayor Hamilton Green to manage the Council’s affairs.
At a recent press conference, Minister Lall lamented the council’s lack of interest in addressing a wage bill of $75M a month and dismissed the argument about the government owing the Council money.
At his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, had announced that trucks and garbage equipment have been made available to Ministries of Local Government and Public Works to spearhead an immediate ‘crash course exercise’ to collect garbage. (GINA)