MINISTER within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker has said a contract will soon be awarded for the collection, removal and disposal of all household garbage from Supenaam to Charity on the Essequibo Coast.
Whittaker speaking at the recent commissioning of an all-weather tarmac for vending at Charity, said two sites for the disposal of garbage have already been identified on the Essequibo Coast, and the contract for the collection, removal and disposal of household garbage will shortly be awarded, by bidding, to a private company.
The Minister said residents would have to pay for the service, but he promised that the fees would be considered and set by the Ministry.
Whittaker said the Solid Waste Management Bill will be laid in Parliament after the recess. He said that once there is a service provider, there will be no excuse for garbage being dumped on road shoulders, drains and public places.
According to Whittaker, the Anna Regina Municipality will be responsible for disposal of garbage in Region Two. The municipality will use its garbage disposal truck to collect waste from the markets at Anna Regina, Cotton Field, Suddie, Supenaam, and Charity.
Speaking about the Charity area, Minister Whittaker said the situation is very alarming, because vendors are squatting on the government sea defence reserve and on the public road shoulders.
He called on the Charity-Urasara Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to start taking action to remove all squatters, vendors and illegal businesses from the sea defence reserve.
Whittaker also called on the NDC to list the names of persons who are vending on the sea defence reserve; warning that those squatting over government drainage trenches would also be removed so as to have the waterways cleared of garbage, including plastic bottles.
The Minister promised that the matter would be discussed with Public Works Minister Robeson Benn and also at Cabinet level.