…Head of Solid Waste Management Department contends
HEAD of the Solid Waste Management Department of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), Mr. Hubert Urlin, yesterday pointed out that the issue which continues to plague the municipality is that of illegal dumping by persons who simply ignore the collection system that is in place.
Urlin, who came under fire by councillors at the  fortnightly statutory meeting at City Hall for failing to provide a comprehensive report on garbage, was called upon to make an impromptu verbal presentation.
A very incensed Councillor Gwendoline Mc Gowan requested that the garbage report be read to the council yesterday.
Upon her request, Urlin indicated to Town Clerk Yonnette Pluck that he was not in possession of such a report, and undertook to have it ready in a week’s time.
This was vehemently objected to by Councillor McGowan who said she was of the opinion that Urlin was taking instructions from someone in an effort to make the city look bad.
Councillor Chase-Green, who carried out the functions of the Mayor yesterday, said Urlin asked for too much time in presenting the report and she requested that it be submitted in 24 hours.
Councillor Kamla Devi Ross said she observed that, for some time now, Urlin is never focused at the meetings of the council and is always using his phone or laptop. The councillor said she was not surprised that Urlin did not hear about a request for the report at the last meeting.   
But the Town Clerk said it was unfair for Ross to attack the officer in that way and claimed she never saw Urlin using his phone or laptop during meetings. But Ross rejoined that Pluck herself is not usually present at the meetings and hence was in no position to make such statements.
Councillors Junior Garrett and Ranwell Jordan offered that any officer who takes his job seriously would have such a report on time in view of the “mass of confusion” that the city is in.
Urlin said efforts are being made not only by officers of the council, but by the garbage contractors as well, who are all doubling up on their efforts to efficiently rid the city of its garbage.
He said the City Constabulary Department needs to be strengthened to deal with those who indiscriminately dump garbage on the streets.
He added that there is no reason for persons in Georgetown to even think about dumping on the streets, because the council has a system in place for collecting garbage. In some locations, the trucks pass six days a week, he pointed out, and hence all that is needed is for persons to make use of the system that is in place.