–M&CC appealing for civic help
SECTIONS of Georgetown are faced with a garbage pile-up, and the Georgetown City Council is assuring citizens that it is working assiduously with the relevant contractors to have this situation rectified.
In a telephone interview with this publication yesterday, City Hall’s Public Relations Officer, Royston King disclosed that the council is aware of the crisis, and is making every effort to eliminate the problem as soon as possible.
“We are concerned… We have had reports that the rhythm of collection was disrupted due to problems with the fleet of vehicles used by the waste management company,” King said.
He pointed out that council is concerned, and is in regular contact with the disposal service, to ensure that services are rightfully provided to tax payers. “We are in regular contact with the contractor, and he has assured us that he is working to have services up and running, to relieve citizens of this situation, even while facing a number of challenges.”
He highlighted that the garbage build-up is a very serious issue which poses a threat of spreading a number of public health diseases, and it is not acceptable.
Conversely, the council is calling on citizens to be more responsible, and is urging them to find different methods to dispose of their garbage, instead of doing so in various open spaces and street corners in the city.
He said a survey showed that persons have been dumping indiscriminately, and he urged that this should stop.
“What seems to be developing is a culture of dumping, and it is neither acceptable nor healthy for society or the integrity of your natural environment… Portions of Wellington, Water, and Robb Streets, and we have noticed Hadfield Street and just at the back of the 1763 Monument, and a number of other areas,” he pointed out.
King said the council is of the view that some citizens believe these areas are receptacles for whatever is unwanted.
He added that these kinds of negative actions, or environmentally unfriendly actions, continue to thwart the efforts of the council to keep the city clean.
“Our efforts at City Hall to clean up Georgetown remain a problem when this happens. The problem is not to clean, but the challenge is to keep it that way, since some persons believe that they can dump anywhere they wish,” King stated.
He maintained that this could not be fair to other tax payers, who are saddled with a burden because of careless and irresponsible people.
According to him, it has been causing the council substantial sums to clear garbage from the road sides and other areas. “People who do not have a care about the environment just dump their stuff anywhere, and we are appealing to them to resist this act.”
King is also encouraging persons to be involved in composting; another method which he says can benefit the society in a number of ways.
He went on to explain that there are a number of alternatives to dumping garbage around the place. “We are also encouraging (citizens) to get involved in composting, and those who are interested can call our Environmental Health Department for more information … Composting can be used to upgrade low-lying areas to prevent overtopping, and secondly,(it) helps to enrich the soil, which can be used as manure in kitchen gardens.”
PRO King has extended thanks to the John Fernandes Ltd. for its efforts at keeping the city clean in the Water Street area.
“We are particularly grateful to John Fernandes Limited for the works that they have been doing in the Water Street area — helping to clear garbage (and) providing assistance in the form of machinery and manpower to keep large portions of the area clean, without even charging a cent,” he said.
He said that council is asking other corporate citizens to render assistance in this enterprise.