– VP Jagdeo warns NDCs against misuse of vehicles
THE 19 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and three municipalities in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) are expected to significantly improve waste collection and sanitation services following the handover of garbage compact trucks on Friday.
At the same time, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo warned local authorities that the vehicles must be used responsibly and solely for the benefit of residents.
Speaking during an engagement with local government officials before a public outreach on the Corentyne, Jagdeo said the trucks were purchased by the Government of Guyana as part of a broader effort to strengthen waste management systems and improve community services.
“As a result of this, the Government of Guyana has purchased all of these trucks to assist you in that task,” he said.
The Vice President urged councils to establish reliable waste collection schedules, ensure routine maintenance of the vehicles and deploy them efficiently throughout their communities.
“I expect that these trucks that are going to be handed over today, that every NDC, 22 local government bodies in the region, that they not be used to do private work or be parked in any compound, that they may be deployed and used consistently in the service of the people in the community,” Jagdeo stated.
He added, “Ensure that they are out there doing what they were bought for.”
Jagdeo noted that improved sanitation is only one aspect of the government’s wider community development agenda. He pointed to ongoing investments in drainage, roads and street lighting across the region.
“Drainage, that was one of our promises, improved drainage in the communities, road improvement, already you have seen a substantial improvement in roads, lighting in the communities,” he said.
The Vice President stressed that the PPP/C Administration remains committed to delivering on the promises made to citizens.
“We intend to fulfil every promise that we made during the elections,” he said, noting that many commitments are already being implemented.
The distribution of the trucks forms part of a nationwide initiative aimed at enhancing local government services and creating cleaner communities.
To date, NDCs in Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six have benefitted from the programme. The towns of Mahdia in Region Eight and Lethem in Region Nine, along with communities in Region 10, have also received garbage compactors.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand, had previously indicated that every local authority in the country would receive a garbage truck before June, in keeping with a commitment outlined in the PPP/C’s 2025 manifesto.
