Written by MOHAMED KHAN Former Deputy Mayor
THE Canadian government donated a new garbage compactor less than a year ago to the Anna Regina Town Council, yet for all the the garbage collection was given to Puran Brothers, who then sub-contracted out the contract to Naipaul Brothers with only one garbage truck to service Region 2.Puran Brothers has an office at Bush Lot, Essequibo Coast. They will collect our money one month in advance to collect our garbage but most of the time our garbage is left to overflow and stink on the roadside or our yards without the service for a week. The sub- contractor, Naipaul Brothers, has only one small garbage truck which has to service the township, five NDCs and five markets which is impossible.

Most of the time the lorry is in the repair shop for weeks, without the service being provided, although the company will take our money in advance. Legislation (28:01)provides for garbage collection, rates and taxes and other major activities which are billable by the municipalities. Garbage collection delinquency by Puran Brothers has created serious problems for all businesses in the township and the region as a whole since the privatisation.
Many times we have to call the head office in West Coast Demerara to address our garbage collection, because most of the times the local office telephone here is either turned off or not working, which is very unsatisfactory. No analysis was undertaken by the Minister of Local Government to determine the privatisation of the garbage collection in the region; rates and taxes also cover costs the township incurs in collecting garbage and providing other services.
It is simply impossible for one truck to undertake all the garbage collection simultaneously given the base of the township, NDCs and five markets. This means that Puran Brothers will have to be sure it has brought into its organisation more garbage trucks for the collection of garbage to service the region.