–problems arise at crafting solution
TOWN Clerk, Carol Sooba pointed out at Monday’s statutory meeting at City Hall that immediate action is needed to tackle the mountains of garbage which continue to pile-up in the city whilst the Mayor and his councillors continue to blame the lack of equipment and manpower for uncontrollable solid waste issues in Georgetown.

She also advised Mayor Hamilton Green not to speculate on what her role and functions are.
Being in charge of the statutory meeting, Mayor Green allowed Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green to openly “shout” at the Town Clerk, which Sooba deemed as unfit and described as “verbal abuse.”
Councillors who vouched for the Town Clerk were silenced as the verbal exchange began when one councillor lauded the work of Ms Sooba, stating that the city has been cleaner and more organised than had obtained in years.
Walter Narine, Director of Solid Waste at City Hall, contended that the lack of equipment in the council is indeed a hindrance to garbage collection in the city, because, he said, the trucks and backhoe are always in the workshop for repairs.
The mayor and councillors are also screaming for the renewal of the contract which allowed Cevons Waste Management to clean the city. While some councillors used this as an opportunity to question the competence of the Solid Waste Director, other councillors called for an actual decision, and not a disagreement as to who is fit for the job, as garbage has been an issue in the city for a number of years, and councillors should be reminded that it is not a “typical thing that was just discovered yesterday.”
Mayor Green was, up to press time, still unable to contain some of his councillors, a situation that occassioned a total breakdown of order at one point in the meeting; yet, no decision was arrived at in regard to easing the garbage situation in the city.
Sooba urged that the councillors be more proactive in their approach to the situation, and even offered her “productive” ideas to assist, but the mayor and his councillors seemed bent on ignoring the Town Clerk and her ‘ideas’.
Councillor Ranwell Jordan pointed out that the areas needing most focus concern the Bourda and Stabroek markets.
It was also raised that a garbage-infested city is a serious health hazard to its citizens, and the grave situation should be handled expeditiously.
Councillor Leslie Sobers opined that, the Deputy Mayor being a former nurse, she of all persons should treat this matter with requisite urgency, as she would understand the risks to Georgetown citizens. He urged that immediate action be taken in regard to the Georgetown garbage situation.
It was the general consensus among councillors that, the garbage situation being unmanageable, there should be less talk and more expeditious action to cease the spread of diseases, the breeding of rats, and the proliferation of worms and roaches emanating from corners of the city.

(By Savitri Laikram)