M&CC laments waste disposal woes, seeks citizenry understanding
THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) announced, on Tuesday, that the Haags Bosch waste disposal site, at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, will be up and running by July.
In a release, Public Relations Officer (PRO) Royston King said B.K International and Puran Brothers have been awarded the contract to prepare the location according to certain internationally environmentally accepted standards.
Mr. King apologised for the nuisance caused by the smoke emanating from the landfill in Le Repentir Cemetery and said city engineers and other officers are working hard to reduce the incidence of fires and related occurrences.
Appealing for their patience and understanding, he said it is necessary that citizens understand the daunting challenges of solid waste management, in order to appreciate the collective effort needed to protect the environment and their welfare.
Meanwhile, King said works are in progress to cap off about five acres and reduce the Mandela Avenue area exposed to fire and the Council is building capacity to deal with such outbreaks and be more responsive to the negative environmental conditions.
He said, for more than half a century, the M&CC has been collecting and disposing the waste and, in the early days of providing this critical service, horse drawn carts were utilised to transport it from households to the designated disposal area.
Later, covered trucks were, eventually, introduced to that aspect of the municipality’s responsibility and the M&CC took the opportunity to build up low-lying places with the waste generated in the capital.
King said, it is important to note that the city was planned with a number of open spaces for recreational purposes, as well as for the development of community-based facilities.
However, over the years, a number of the open areas have been utilised as landfills and one currently in use is part of the land allotted for Le Repentir Cemetery, that has been in existence since 1993.

Most feasible
It was thought to be the most feasible after most of the others had either been previously used or were not available, he explained.
King said, at the beginning of its usage in 1993, that landfill was really a demonstration facility projected to be in operation for two years. Roadways were constructed, a drainage system established and the site was secured (utilising the natural barrier provided by drainage canals and the surrounding vegetation, as well as posting security personnel from the Constabulary and a private security firm to protect the site).
As the situation at Le Repentir landfill deteriorated, it began to affect residents in the neighboring communities in direct and indiscreet ways. Again, as the serious nature of solid waste management and the risks associated with it became evident, the Council started an aggressive programme to address the issue and, for example, encouraged and facilitated several studies aimed at finding a viable solution.
Further, with the strongest advocacy of the Georgetown municipality, the Government of Guyana was able to secure assistance from the Inter-America Development Bank (IDB) to finance a project for the ‘Environmental Improvement of the Georgetown Interim Disposal Site.
It was aimed at improving the environmental conditions at Le Repentir landfilling operation, the institutional strengthening of the Council’s capacity to mange solid waste and encourage behavioral change among citizens and other waste generators.
King said the Council continues to struggle with the numerous challenges of managing the site with extremely limited resources.
He said the landfill site demands financial and other resources, which the city does not have at this point in time.
King said the council’s annual revenue is about $1.2 billion and its expenditure more than  $2 billion, yet it is expected to provide all these services and facilities to advance the interest of the City and its citizens.
He said that an incinerator dubbed ‘Old Smokey’ was constructed in the 1950s  and it served as the main disposal facility for general domestic, hospitals and pathological waste, among others.
King said, for a number of years, this facility was used until it fell to ruins in the 1990s and had to be decommissioned.
However, the practice of landfilling has continued to be the main means of disposal for solid waste generated by citizens, business and industries in Georgetown and some of the neighboring communities.
He said the Council wishes to remind citizens that the municipality is responsible for the provision of a plethora of services which include 160 miles of roads, 800 miles of concrete and earthen drains, 12 outfall channels, bridges, parapets, collection and disposal of waste, street lighting, public parks and open spaces, five municipal markets, management of the building code, public health, control of animals, maintenance of law and order, cemeteries and maternal and child welfare.
In addition, the Public Health, Solid Waste Management and Public Relations departments are collaborating to provide advice and to help residents in the affected communities, King said.