TRACTORS were Wednesday handed over to all of the country’s towns by the Ministry of Communities; Mahdia, which has not yet received township status, will receive a tractor at a later date.Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, handed over the tractors to the mayors of the towns at a ceremony on the tarmac of the National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

He said that these tractors were provided mainly to aid the municipalities in solid waste management.

According to Bulkan, the tractors will aid in solid waste management in an “efficient, effective and friendly manner.” Bulkan mentioned that about $100 million was spent on the initiative and it is a part of the ministry’s plan to aid in development and foster cohesion with the municipalities.

Due to their versatile nature these tractors can also be used for a number of other purposes, such as assisting in the mowing of grass, maintenance of parapets, moving materials, etc.

S. Nauth, an engineer from the Ministry of Communities, highlighted the efficient design of the machines.

He said they are equipped with hook lift trailers and is especially designed for the management of solid waste through the use of skip bins (some of which will also be provided through this project) and these hook lifts can be detached to allow the tractor to be used for other purposes mentioned earlier.

In addition, four of the tractors are equipped with “Double Drive” capacities, which would allow for use in the hilly and difficult terrains of towns such as Mahdia, Lethem and Maburuma.

Also speaking at the handing over was Mohamed Ally, Sales Manager of General Equipment Guyana Limited (GENEQUIP). GENEQUIP was the company contracted after the bidding process and this company has supplied John Deere tractors – an American company well known for its agricultural and other heavy duty equipment.

Ally reassured of the effectiveness and versatility of the machines and revealed that each machine came with complimentary equipment and a manual for their maintenance. (Vishani Ragobeer)