A CRACKDOWN on derelict vehicles and illegal dumping intensified on Saturday, with the Ministry of Public Works removing multiple abandoned vehicles and obstructions along D’Urban Street, as authorities ramp up enforcement against persistent non-compliance.
The operation forms part of a broader push to reclaim public roadways increasingly being overtaken by discarded vehicles, caravans, and other debris, despite repeated warnings to owners.
Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill said the removals were a direct response to continued disregard for public notices, noting that some individuals have chosen to ignore advisories or relocate derelict items to new locations.
“Having put up public notices, and published the images for weeks, this is what happens when people do not comply,” Edghill said during the exercise.
He highlighted that illegal dumping has evolved into a pattern, with Hadfield Street emerging as a new hotspot as persons shift abandoned vehicles from previously targeted areas.
“What we are seeing is displacement. When we issue notices in one area, the derelicts and caravans are moved elsewhere. Hadfield Street has now become a dumping ground, and that is unacceptable,” the minister stated.
Reissuing a public warning, Edghill announced that all derelict vehicles and improperly placed caravans along Hadfield Street, particularly between Mandela Avenue and Cemetery Road, must be removed immediately.
Failure to comply, he warned, will trigger removal by the ministry, with owners required to cover associated costs, and barred from returning the items to the roadside.
“If you need them, move them. If not, we will remove them, and you will have to pay to get them back, and you will not be able to put them back on the shoulder of the road,” he stressed.
The minister underscored that abandoned vehicles not only create an eyesore, but also obstruct roadways, pose safety risks, and contribute to a breakdown in order across communities.
He also criticised the practice of leaving derelict vehicles and caravans in front of residential properties, describing it as inconsiderate and unacceptable.
“Come on citizens, this is our Guyana. You cannot bring caravans and just dump it in front of somebody’s residence. Or bring a derelict and dump it in front of somebody’s residence, because you do not have anywhere else to put it,” he said, adding: You just cannot come and park and leave trucks and all the rest of it in front of somebody’s residence for long periods. Let’s clear up the place; let’s get order. Let’s work together. On D’Urban Street, there are a number of derelicts that will be cleared.”
While acknowledging improvements in areas already cleared, Edghill maintained that enforcement will continue as the authorities move to clamp down on illegal dumping, and restore order to public spaces.
