TO address the issue of illegal dumping in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), the Regional Democratic Council has taken stringent measures to counteract the problem across the region by way of persecuting persons who are caught dumping at road corners and in drainage systems.In an invited comment, Regional Chairman, Julius Faeber said that there are a growing number of illegal garbage piles around the Region which are very “unsightly”.

Faeber stated that recently, through an intervention by the Regional Office, three persons were charged and placed before the court for dumping along the Crane Embankment Road.
According to the Chairman, these persons who were reportedly in the habit of dumping along the Crane Embankment Road were subsequently caught. The motor lorry number was recorded and taken to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station. The lorry was tracked and subsequently the culprits were arrested and placed before the court where they were required to pay a fine.
Chairman Faeber stated that communities are monitored on a daily basis by Environmental Health Officers (EHO) and/or by Environmental Health Assistants (EHA). Should anyone be found littering, the EHO has the mandate to take that person to court on behalf of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC).
During this week, the Clean-up My Country Regional Community Clean-Up and Bulk Waste Removal Programme is conducting a community clean-up exercise with all fourteen Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) of Region 3 to remove illegal garbage piles and bulk waste from residents in the communities.
During the clean-up exercise, several parapets along the West Coast were littered with garbage. On Zeelugt Public Road, a team of community workers under the national clean-up programme took close to two hours to remove a pile of garbage which some residents said was created by persons from the area.
When asked what might have been the contributory factors that are causing the unconscionable behaviour of illegal dumping, the Regional Chairman pointed directly to persons lacking in education about the impact of littering on the environment.
To bridge the gap, he said, “more radio and television awareness programmes are needed”. He further stated that “at the NDC level, we need to do more to reach out to the people and equip them with the knowledge of the negative impact of littering, and encourage them to use other avenues (Solid Waste Service Provider) to get rid of their garbage.
Meanwhile, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker has been calling on persons to be more environmentally conscious and dispose of their garbage by utilising the Solid Waste Service Providers operating in the Regions or the service provided by the RDC/NDC. Further, the Ministry will like to encourage members of the public to lodge a report at the nearest police station or NDC should a person be caught dumping/littering.