YET another lump sum of $412M in contracts was awarded by the Ministry of Local Government yesterday to increase the efforts, in Georgetown and in the regions, of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), Municipalities and Regional authorities in the ‘Clean-Up My Country’ Programme. 

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
The awareness and involvement of the public has always been the intention of the national clean-up efforts and while some NDCs actively engage in exercises, others are yet to show their capacity to follow, Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker has said.
“Part of our [Government’s] investment has gone into building that capacity where it doesn’t exist, and strengthening that capacity where it exists but is somewhat unnoticeable,” Minister Whittaker added.
The Local Government system in Guyana was developed in the 19th Century during the post-slavery era and over the centuries has developed into a diverse system that boasts six municipalities and 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils.

$1B MASSIVE CLEAN-UP
The Guyana Government earlier this year approved $1B for a massive clean-up campaign extending across the ten administrative regions. $500M was set aside for the Georgetown Clean-up while $100M was set aside for clean-up of Le Repentir Cemetery. The clean-up of the other regions will be covered by the remaining $500M.
A great part of the programme was set towards the procurement of equipment for use in NDCs, municipalities and by regional bodies. “We have procured a number of tractors and trailers to give to as many NDCs as possible,” said Whittaker. While acknowledging that some NDCs are in need of help, Whittaker made no bones about some NDCs being able to purchasing tractors and trailers on their own strength.

GENEQUIP CONTRACTS
Of the contracts awarded during yesterday’s meeting at the Local Government Ministry boardroom, Kingston, General Equipment Guyana Limited (GENEQUIP) received most of those contracts with over $256M for the supply of 45 tractors and 45 trailers.
Giving brief remarks on the contracts awarded, the Local Government Minister said: “A lot of investment is in strengthening that capacity so that the NDCs and the Municipalities can do more towards the clean-up of the environment and the maintaining of the newfound environment.”
Last August, it could be recalled, as published by this newspaper, the Eccles/Ramsburg NDC purchased one John Deere tractor and trailer and one Bobcat Skid-Steer Loader from MACORP Guyana, and General Equipment Guyana Limited to the sum of $13M.

BINS AROUND CITY
Additionally, indiscriminate dumping continues to be priority concern for the Local Government Ministry. Adding to the distribution of tractors and trailers to the various NDCs to deal with indiscriminate dumping, the subject Ministry has similarly procured 145 skip-metal bins from DAX contracting at a value of $33.1M. Some of these bins will be placed around the capital city while others will be distributed throughout the regions.
In other contractual awards, MACORP received some $44M for the supply of five mini-excavators to be used in the regional efforts, while Puran Brothers managed to cop two contracts at a grand total of $64.8M for the supply of 5,500 barrels for use as household receptacles, and 600,000 garbage bags.
The second phase of the landfill site Access Road at Zorg-en-Hoop in Region 5 (Mahaica-Berbice) was contracted to J.B. Brothers in the sum of $6M. A deadline of December 31, 2014 still stands for the expenditure of $1B under the Government’s national clean-up programme.
The Local Government Ministry anticipates that other works will be contracted for and completed in the coming weeks, according to Permanent Secretary in the Local Government Ministry, Collin Croal.