THE nationwide private garbage collection system, which was implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development after Cabinet’s approval, will commence in the Lower Corentyne/East Bank Berbice within two weeks. Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) Chairman, Mr. Permaul Armogan told a specially convened press briefing, yesterday, in the New Amsterdam Boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), that Advanced Environmental Solutions (AES) is a legitimate company contracted by the ministry to serve every community from Number One Road, Lower Corentyne, East and West Canje, New Amsterdam and East Bank Berbice.
“It is due to the inability of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and municipalities to deal, effectively, with the issue of garbage disposal that the Government of Guyana took the decision to privatise solid waste disposal,” he stated.
Armogan emphasised that, recently, some issues were raised, in New Amsterdam, about the privatisation of garbage collection within the township but he pointed out that the Cabinet decision takes precedence and since municipalities fall under the portfolio ministry, the new approach, which will take effect shortly, must be embraced.
“The Advanced Environmental Solutions is obligated to honouring our contract and, when the contractor begins his operations, he has the sole authority over all dump sites. In addition, he is free to sub-contract to any person who has the relevant machinery and is interested in garbage collection. Even the Town Council must meet with the contractor to draft a proposal as to how the solid waste at the New Amsterdam Market will be properly disposed,” Armogan elaborated.

Landfill site
Managing Director of AES, Mr. Zaheer Osman indicated that his company is, currently, preparing a landfill site at Belle Vue, East Bank Berbice, where it would be completed by next week.
“We are constructing the site like those in the developed countries and we are going to be sorting the different types of garbage, such as the biodegradable items, metal and bottles, into their own category since they would be disposed of at different sections of the site,” he explained.
In addition, solid waste from the New Amsterdam Hospital would be placed at a separate section of the Belle Vue site.
The contractor will be signing a contract with every household and fees are only payable when solid waste is collected. The charge for collection of a household barrel of solid waste is $300 but charges for commercial clients would differ under different arrangements with business personnel.
The disposal of animal carcasses would also carry a different cost from that for household and commercial waste.
The AES office is located at Lot 28 Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam and Managing Director Osman said billboards would soon be erected with collection schedules throughout their areas of operation and other details made available to the public via the media.
Pooran Brothers would be serving the Upper Corentyne and Concept Service will operate in Central and parts of Lower Corentyne.
Present at the media occasion, too, were Regional  Executive Officer, Paul Ramrattan; Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Bhadesie Poonai and Member of Parliament, Faizal Jafarally.