In a scathing critique on Tuesday, Alfred Mentore, the Deputy Mayor of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), called out five garbage disposal companies contracted by the council for failing to execute their contractual obligations. According to Mentore, these companies are now causing a growing number of garbage pile-ups across the city.
Mentore also shed light on the areas where garbage disposal issues are particularly rampant, including East Ruimveldt, West Ruimveldt, North-East Ruimviedlt, and the Albousytown-Charlestown area.
During a press conference held at City Hall, Mentore noted that the situation has been ongoing for the past three to four weeks. He revealed that the council has been inundated with complaints about the garbage companies’ failure to collect trash for extended periods, ranging from two to three weeks. When confronted he said, the companies have been attributing their shortcomings to staff shortages, which is unacceptable. Mentore also expressed scepticism, stating, “They didn’t get problems with staff all the time. They get problems with staff now”.
Presently, the M&CC has approximately five contracted companies responsible for garbage disposal services, including Cevons Waste Management, Puran Brothers Inc, Sandip, the Solid Waste Department, and Guyana Waste Solutions. However, Mentore singled out Guyana Waste Solutions as the most delinquent among them.
Mentore emphasized also that the contracts signed with these companies incorporate penalty clauses. He said these are designed to ensure compliance. He said the council is in the process of reviewing these clauses with the aim of implementing where necessary. Specific penalties were not disclosed, but Mentore also mentioned that the council is exploring additional measures to ensure proper adherence.
Mentore clarified that the companies are required to submit monthly invoices, which outline the duration for which garbage was collected. These invoices serve as a basis for determining where penalties should be applied. Additionally, Mentore revealed that last year, the city council allocated approximately $14-$15 million dollars per month toward garbage disposal services, which amounts to a total expenditure of $168-$180 million dollars for the year.
The M&CC has recently come under fire by Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo for being grossly incompetent and failing to address the unsanitary conditions of some sections of the capital.
