AHEAD of the busy Christmas season in Guyana, the garbage situation in the country’s capital continues to worsen. This has been observed in several sections of the city with waste in residential and commercial areas piling up and being left on the roadways.

According to the Councillor representing the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) on the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, Alfonso De Armas, he is not surprised by the garbage situation. Highlighting that the council has been led by the APNU for decades, De Armas said the city’s condition has only worsened.

He believes that a strategic approach is needed to address this issue.

“The garbage issue and a myriad of other problems require a clear, strategic approach, both financially and operationally, which the current council seems either unable or unwilling to implement,” De Armas told the Sunday Chronicle.

He noted that while possible intervention from the central government might offer temporary relief, a clear plan starting with the finances of the council must be dealt with.

De Armas pointed out that the city is currently more than 60 days behind on payments to its solid waste contractors, raising the question of how the contractors are expected to fulfill their responsibilities when the city isn’t meeting its own obligations. Additionally, he highlighted that the city allocates around 70 percent of its revenue to a “bloated and inefficient” payroll, leaving little funding for critical services like garbage collection.

“Without a fundamental restructuring of both the city’s finances and its priorities, this issue will keep resurfacing.”
A few months ago, De Armas voiced concerns over the APNU-majority-controlled council’s approval of yet another extension to the city’s contracts with several garbage collection companies. At the time, he criticised the council’s approach to waste management, calling it both inadequate and short-sighted.

He also pointed out the looming expiration of one-year contracts with key waste management firms, such as Cevons Waste Management Services and Puran Brothers Disposal Incorporated, and stressed the council’s failure to present a clear plan for ensuring continuous waste collection and disposal. Despite being aware for months of the upcoming contract expirations, De Armas argued that the council had not developed a comprehensive strategy, with efforts by PPP/C council members to address the issue reportedly blocked.

De Armas expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to extend the contracts for another year, warning that such short-term solutions leave the city vulnerable to contractors pulling out. He cautioned that relying solely on contract extensions could lead to a trash crisis in the capital if contractors decide to discontinue their services.