THE Clean-up my Country Programme implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (MLGRD), which commenced in July of last year, is nearing completion.Unforeseen circumstances had caused the December 31, 2014 deadline for completion of the project not to materialise. However, that was the peak period in the activity, when a number of community clean-up exercises were still ongoing and late submissions of proposals for communities to be cleaned were still being received.

The MLGRD has said that the clean-up campaign is currently being executed in four communities in Georgetown, while a general community clean-up is expected to commence in Region 10 by the end of January.

To date, 63 communities in and around Georgetown have benefitted from the clean-up exercise, and works are still ongoing in Alexander Village, Charlestown, Campbellville (east) and Kingston.

A total of 75 groups signed on to the Clean Up My Country project, and 2,239 Community Enhancement Workers were employed for the massive programme.

The Georgetown aspect of the Programme saw 63 communities from Agricola to Atlantic Ville being engaged in community clean-up activities.

It was, however, noted by Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Ministry, Collin Croal, that, “due to the size of communities such as Albouystown, Meadow Brook Gardens, Alberttown, North East La Penitence, Kitty, Tucville, (Phases 1 & 2), South and North Cummingsburg, those areas were divided into phases which resulted in multiple contracts been signed for community clean-up”. He added that, on the other hand, the majority of the communities which submitted proposals for community clean-up signed one contract each.

Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 have already benefited from the Regional Clean-Up Programme, which gave residents the opportunity to get rid of their bulk waste. Community Clean-up activities for Region. No 1 (Mabaruma Port Kaituma, Mathews Ridge) and 8 (Mahdia) are also being finalised.

The MLGRD also revealed that, “to wrap up the Clean-Up My Country Programme (in) communities in Georgetown where there are critical issues of residents dumping garbage in public spaces and in water, residential garbage receptacles and bags will be provided with the aim of encouraging persons to dispose of their garbage in a more responsible manner.”

In addition, skips (huge metal receptacles) will be distributed to the Georgetown Municipal Markets to assist with the maintenance of healthy sanitation and to encourage proper garbage disposal.

Regions 1, 5, & 6 benefited from construction of access roads which will aim to assist the Mlgrd’s Regional Solid Waste Programme, while Region 9 will benefit from construction of a fence around the landfill site, tender for which is now awarded through the Regional Tender Board.

Moreover, 45 tractors and trailers will be handed over to various NDCs to aid in community maintenance work and in maintaining the aesthetics of public spaces across the regions; while mini-excavators will be handed over to the RDCs of Regions 1, 7, 8, 9, and 10 with the expectation that those pieces of equipment would be deployed within the regions wherever the need arises, “with a priority being their respective NDCs”, the MLGRD added.

It was disclosed that, in 2014, 11 standard fogging machines were handed over to each Regional Democratic Council, along with the Georgetown Municipality, to aid in their Fogging programme to help eradicate mosquito-borne diseases. It was also noted that metal bins will be distributed to specific locations within the NDCs, in an effort to address the issue of indiscriminate dumping of waste.

Cemetery Clean-Up
Following a complete de-bushing of the Le Repentir Cemetery, spraying of the site is currently ongoing, the MLGRD has said. The cemetery at Bourda has also been completely de-bushed, and the Municipality is expected to install a gate at the Regent Street entrance in an attempt to deter persons from dumping waste there.