AS the Georgetown Solid Waste Management Programme gets underway, some concerns have been expressed to this publication about what was described as the “lackadaisical attitude” of one private contractor, Wayne Nurse, who was tasked with dealing with solid waste disposal in Region 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni). Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Norman Whittaker in response to this contention
Minister Norman Whittaker
stated that while he is aware of all the concerns expressed, the contractor “is expected to collaborate with the NDC [Neighbourhood Democratic Council] and also with the Regional Democratic Council [RDC].”
According to him, the RDC under Regional Democratic Chairman, Mr. Gordon Bradford, “would have entered into a contractual arrangement with the contractor with respect to the landfill site.” He added that “he [the contractor] is required to construct the site. He has started some work, [and] he has removed some of the vegetation.”
Mr. Nurse also must “construct an access road to the site,” as well as fund the further development of the site which is “a separate arrangement from the actual operations of the site.”
The agreement will see the contractor building ties with the citizens of Bartica and “engaging households in return for an agreed fee… [which] we have to approve.” The solid waste will be received by the contractor and transported to the site according to schedule on the agreed dates.
When asked whether the reports were correct that the contractor had been receiving close to $300 per barrel from residents, the Minister stated that he is currently unaware of that situation but he promised to address the matter.
At a recent ceremony when the media were invited to view the operations at Haags Bosch, Minister Whittaker had disclosed that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded Haags Bosch landfill was to be replicated in other regions.
(By Derwayne Wills)