Lincoln Lewis standing in the way–Clarke 

Councillor Oscar Clarke, chairman of the team negotiating with Georgetown’s major garbage contractors, has complained about the input that Trade Unionist Lincoln Lewis has made when the respective parties met to discuss the issue.     Clarke is arguing that had it not been for the trade unionist, the contractors would have likely been willing to resolve the matter in a reasonable way like they had always done in the past and not resort to striking.  “They (the contractors) are being misled by their negotiator,” charged Clarke, who was making a presentation to the council at the fortnightly statutory meeting on Monday.    Cevon’s Waste Management and Puran Brothers Disposal Services have opted to pull their services from the city due to the nonpayment of outstanding balances by the council.     “Mr. Lincoln twist us, turn us and said they want all the money now,” joined in Councillor Yvonne Ferguson who informed that City Hall had proposed to hand over $24M. Both councillors were speaking in context of a meeting that was held recently between them and the contractors to negotiate.      According to Clarke, 55 percent of what is collected in rates and taxes goes towards the payment of wages and salaries. “What is left for developmental works if another 30 percent goes towards the contractors? he asked.     Clarke informed how Lewis plainly said at the meeting that City Hall cannot be trusted.

“They know it’s not our intention to rob them. We intend to meet those payments however long it may take. But the negotiating specialist they brought along this time around introduced an idea that I don’t know of. But we made a proposal that was reasonable and normally, our partners would agree. But he (Lewis) made an issue that negotiations don’t take place like that; that we would have to write.”    Clarke was adamant that based on how the contractors operated at the meeting, City Hall will not engage them again unless they resume work. “He (Lewis) said we can’t be trusted, but they’ve been able to earn billions of dollars from this council. Now, suddenly, you’re saying we’re not trustworthy. I asked if they agreed with him and no one answered. They owe us in as much as we owe them. We built them.                                                                                            Clarke said the contractors will not be allowed to put a gun to City Hall’s head so to speak and demand payment. “But they will have to respond to our proposal and get back to work.”

‘Our own trucks’ 
Mayor Patricia Chase-Green said the time has come for City Hall to look into procuring its own garbage trucks so that it can save the hefty $45M a month that have to be paid to the contractors.    “It’s unfair every time we have to find our backs against the wall and a gun to our head. Let us not be fooled by the contractors. The health of the whole nation is at risk.”     The mayor, too, acknowledged that in this instance it was the negotiating specialist (Lewis) who was the problem.      Councillor Bishram Kuppen lauded the idea of City Hall obtaining its own trucks and recalled how this has been an idea that was being promoted for some time now. He offered that City Hall should not rigidly insist that the contractors get back to work before negotiations can continue as the outstanding balances to them are huge.       Kuppen referred to the fact that the contractors would be in need of the money to pay their employees and cover other expenses.      Fellow Councillor, Andrea Marks stood up to say that the bottom line remains that the contractors should be paid their money. “You owe de people too long and too much money. They got workers to pay; hundreds of workers from Sophia gotta get paid.”    Marks also argued that if council has money to buy a vehicle worth $7M, then it can surely afford to pay its contractors.     Councillor Akeem Peter offered that City Hall should not be depending on the services of contractors in this day and age. He said City Hall’s effort should not be directed at wooing the contractors back but to finding other means of obtaining the services.     He charged that the city was being held at ransom by the contractors and that City Hall should close the doors with Cevon’s and Puran Brothers and find other alternatives.     Councillor Ron Persaud said: “We’re all looking like fools here because we’re not doing the right thing. We’re renting a toilet for $80,000 when we can buy a toilet for $80,000.” He added that some effort must be made to pay the contractors.                                                                         Councillor Ivelaw Henry, though, is of the view that City Hall owes the contractors an apology. “It aches my heart to see this. The management strategy at M&CC is ancient. M&CC keeps falling down on being transparent with people.”

New Schedule 
Meanwhile, a new schedule for garbage collection has been put in place by the city council, which has since hired more drivers to assist with the clearance.      Public Relations Officer, Debra Lewis told Chronicle that households will be cleared once weekly as opposed to twice in the past, while businesses will be cleared once a day as opposed to twice daily in the past.    She said wardens are currently in the fields informing citizens of the new schedule. Lewis has said that City Hall has the situation under control.     The mayor is expected to meet with the contractors shortly.