MINISTER in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker, in the presence of Permanent Secretary, Collin Croal, at the ministry’s boardroom in Kingston, Friday signed off on a contract for Advanced Environment Solution to develop a landfill site at Zorg-en-Hoop, Region 5, and another in New Amsterdam, Region 6. The contracts pertained to agreements between the ministry and the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) as to the RDCs and the ministry’s roles in the development of the site. The other two contracts are between the contractor and the regions, the latter having to do with the solid waste contractor’s lease of the lands for the development of the site.

The ministry had earlier in 2012, moved to open landfills outside of Region 4 toward managing and addressing the culture of solid waste disposal in the regions. To date, the ministry has since identified and awarded contracts for the development and management of all the identified sites, excluding the one in Region 8, which is still to be awarded, following the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of the site.
The contractors are set to begin development of the sites between January 2 and February 1, 2013.
Advanced Environment Solution has been given 10 years lease of both sites and will charge $300 a barrel for the disposal for both locations. (GINA)