–Council wants company to work for less over next three years

ALTHOUGH a public notice has been sent out regarding a new schedule for garbage collection in the City as of February 1, with the exclusion of Puran Brothers Disposal Services, Mayor Ubraj Narine has said he is yet to receive a report from the Town Clerk’s office about the new development.
He could not answer any questions on Tuesday when contacted by this newspaper, because he said he cannot speak “off the top of his head” about an issue he has little facts about.
This is notwithstanding that the new announcement was posted on the Georgetown Mayor and City Council’s Facebook Page since January 13.
“The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown wishes to inform the general public that, effective from February 1, 2021, Cevons Waste Management, Star Imports, SANDIP Waste Management Services and Solid Waste Management Department (M&CC) will be removing household and parapet waste in and around the City,” the notice read.

Head of the Solid Waste Management Department, Walter Narine did not take calls from this newspaper, but a councilor who preferred anonymity said to his knowledge, Puran Brothers withdrew their services voluntarily, because they did not find favour with the new rules and regulations that the City Council has imposed.
Manager at Puran Brothers, Kalesh Puran, told the Guyana Chronicle that it is sad how the City Council has introduced new companies into the market after deciding not to give any more work to his company, even as it has been serving the municipality for over 35 years.
“I don’t know where we fell short; I really don’t know what’s going on in the Council,” Puran expressed, as he noted how the Council asked the company to lower its prices in the contract covering the next three years.
According to Puran, the Council showed his company an engineer’s estimate that has figures lower than what the company is currently working with. “The cost for supplies doesn’t come down; workers’ pay doesn’t come down. It’s not just about paying workers and buying fuel for our trucks; there are many other support services that we have to fund.”

MONIES OUTSTANDING
Puran said that although there has been no official correspondence with his company about the new developments, he has seen the public notice excluding his company. He mentioned that the Council still owes them more than $70M for the years 2019 and 2020.
Meanwhile, according to the schedule posted by City Council, Group One will be cleared by Sandip Disposal Services. These areas include Campbellville Housing Scheme and Section L-M Campbellville on Mondays. On Tuesdays, Belvoir Court, Prashad Nagar, Bel Air Promenade, New Haven, Bel-Air Village, Blegezeight, North Sophia, Liliendaal, Turkeyen, Atlantic Ville, Pattensen, University Gardens, and Cummings Lodge are expected to be cleared.
On Wednesday, Group Four is expected to be cleared by Cevons, which includes such areas as Lodge, Lodge Housing Scheme, Thorne’s Drive, Century Palm Gardens, Meadow Brook, Tucville Terrace, Guyhoc Park, and East La Penitence.
The schedule said that on Fridays, Group Five will also be cleared by Cevons, and these areas include Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Stevedore, Postal Housing Scheme, South Ruimveldt Park, Jacksonville, West Front Road Housing Scheme and Tucville.

Group Six will also be covered by Cevons, and these include areas such as South Ruimveldt Gardens, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Shirley Field Ridley Square, Guyhoc Gardens, Alexander Village, Riverview Ruimveldt, Laing Avenue, Meadow Bank, Rahaman’s Park, Houston, Mc Doom, Rome, Agricola, and Evans Phillips Park.
Lamaha Springs and Lamaha Park, in Group 11, are expected to be cleared on Mondays by Cevons, and on Wednesdays, Star Imports is expected to cover Group Seven, namely: West Ruimveldt, East Ruimveldt, Middle Road La Penitence, Jeeboo Land, Independence Boulevard/ West La Penitence, Castello Housing Scheme, North-East La Penitence and East La Penitence.
Star Imports will also be covering Group 9, being Werk-en-Rust, Stabroek, Charlestown, Albouystown and Wortmanville on Fridays. On Mondays to Saturdays, Group 10, which is the Bourda, Robbstown, Newtown, North/South Cummingsburg and Water Front areas will be cleared.
Bel Air Spring, Bel Air Gardens, Subryanville, and Kitty, in Group Two, are expected to be cleared on Mondays by the Solid Waste Department, while Group Three, being Bel Air Park, J-K Campbellville, Newtown, A-D Campbellville, E-I Campbellville and Lamaha Gardens will be cleared on Wednesdays. On Fridays, Alberttown, South Cummingsburg, Queenstown, North Cummingsburg and Kingston will also be cleared by the said department.