— to ensure amicable settlement between City Hall and waste disposal companies

THE Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) is calling on the government to intervene in the standoff between City Hall and the City’s two major garbage collectors, in a bid to ensure the two companies return to work.
Puran Brothers and Cevons Waste Management last Sunday in a press release said they were withdrawing services in the City, pointing out that they are owned some $300M by City Hall.
The companies also said that efforts to discuss payment with City Hall have been treated unfavourable, while City Hall has viewed their withdrawal of services as a termination of their contracts.

The GCCI in a release said while it is cognisant of the deleterious effects created by the inevitable build-up of wastes in the Capital City and its environs from/by the suspension of this key service, enterprises such as Puran Brothers and Cevons Waste Management have substantial operating expenses and depend on a steady stream of income to survive.
“It is clear from the press releases, articles in the daily newspapers and news broadcasts that these companies have been subjected to this problem for some time now.
“The notice in Sunday’s edition of the Stabroek News that the M&CC is treating the contractor’s withdrawal of service as a termination of the contract is viewed by the GCCI as unwarranted, and the Council not acting in good faith by taking this step.
“This is on the backdrop that the Chamber recognises that non-payment or untimely payments to these contractors for acceptable services rendered to the M&CC is a fundamental breach of contract, yet these contractors have continued to work with the M&CC over the past few years in hopes that the issue could have been resolved amicably,” the GCCI said.

The Chamber is also encouraging City Hall to meet with Puran Brothers and Cevons Waste Management to establish a verifiable and mutually solution to the problem between the parties.
On Sunday, Head of the City Solid Waste Department, Walter Narine said he is confident with the help of three smaller contractors, there will be no piling-up of garbage in the nation’s capital.

He was of the view that the latest action by Puran Brothers Disposal Services and Cevons Waste Management to pull their services, opens up the opportunity for the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to get the work done on its own.
The money that M&CC will save as a result of not having to pay these contractors will go towards paying off the debt to them, he had said.