THE New Amsterdam Mayor and Town Council (M&TC) has adopted a ‘no nonsense’ approach as it relates to garbage disposal, drainage and encumbrances.

At a press briefing yesterday (Wednesday) in the chamber of the M&TC, Deputy Mayor Harold Dabydeen said that his intention is to restore the town to its former glory and in doing so, citizens and business people will have to comply with the new approach of the M&TC or face the consequence of being placed before the court of law.
“We wish to thank those persons who have co-operated with us so far in removing sheds, stalls and other encumbrances from the road shoulder, as the council instructed. For those who are bent on involving in municipal lawlessness, we will enforce the by-laws of the town upon them.”

DRAINAGE
It was pointed out that a major lapse by the M&TC, allowed some residents and businessmen to cast concrete foundation over several main drains in the township and the council will move towards engaging such persons in meetings to develop a plan to regularise the situation that is hindering drainage.
“We have done investigations and we found that apart from the non-biodegradable items that are clogging our drains,  concrete deposits that come from construction sites are also present and creating major problems in our drainage system,” Dabydeen stressed.
Head of the Environmental Health Department, Akloo Ramsudh, also lamented that persons should adhere to the by-laws of the town and seek permission from the M&TC before doing any construction work, he noted that a building permit is legally required before extensions are done on buildings or new structures are erected.
As it relates to drainage and flooding, he said: “Flooding is caused by people who illegally erect fences or cast concrete structures over the drains. Due to this, debris is piled beneath these structures and cannot be cleared manually or by machine.”

FEE TO REMOVE COMMERCIAL WASTE
Ramsudh also highlighted the importance of the proper disposal of commercial waste; he said that the M&TC  is charging a small fee to remove and dispose of commercial waste and entrepreneurs should comply in this regard.
“You play your part and we will play our role in enhancing our town,” he posited.
The public health officer also called on landowners to weed their empty plots of land and abide by the public health ordinance or face prosecution in the court of law.
Councillor Winifred Heywood, also echoed the sentiments of the her municipal colleagues and called upon the citizens of the town to develop a new approach in restoring law and order in the town.
“I am appealing for persons to desist from the dirty practice of dumping domestic and commercial refuse in drains and other prohibited areas,” she urged.

COLLABORATION WITH POLICE
As part of a continuous effort to ease the congestion along the Strand Road at the western section of  New Amsterdam, the M&TC will be working in collaboration with the ‘B’ Division Police Traffic Department, to earmark areas for pedestrian crossings, no parking and no stopping for vehicles. It was also mentioned that the M&TC will be looking at new areas to establish car parks since it is an unsafe practice for roving vehicles to be operating close to gas stations while fuel is being dispensed from the petrol pumps.

2013 RATE BOOK
Town Clerk, Mrs. Sharon Alexander, appealed to the public to be aware of the new regulations in the township by visiting the Town Hall and accessing a copy of the 2013 rate book, which will give full details of fines, charges and fees for projects.
Alexander also urged citizens to display their house lot numbers on their respective premises or pay a fine of $5,000 in the near future for failing to do so.
The town clerk also appealed to persons to desist from encumbering the road shoulder with construction materials.
“Remove your encumbrances or we will be forced to remove it ourselves. Allow the traffic to flow freely and make the road safer for pedestrians and other road users,” she urged.