– owed $24M

Garbage collection in the city has been halted as the two companies contracted by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) have withdrawn their services in the light of a huge sum of money owing to them.

Cevons Waste Manage-ment and Puran Brothers Disposal Service are owed $24 million and have ceased garbage collection. However, according to a release from the M&CC, a meeting has been scheduled for today between the council and the contractors in an attempt to bring an end to the impasse.

The release said that “the City Treasurer has indicated to the contractors that a portion of the outstanding amount was available for payment.”

The contractors, however, were not happy with this proposal, and decided not to continue with the collection schedule.

This dispute is the latest in a long line of similar incidents arising from the non-payment by the council.

Meanwhile, this stand-off was expected to have affected garbage collection from yesterday and will continue to affect areas in the city until a solution is reached.

The areas slated to be affected today are Kitty, J&K Campbellville, Newtown Kitty, West and East Ruimveldt, Werk-en-rust, Wortmanville, Lacytown, Robbstown, Newtown, North and South Cummingsburg (Waterfront) and Bourda. These areas normally have their garbage collected by the Puran Brothers Disposal Service.

Cevons Waste Manage-ment Inc will not be collecting garbage today from Belvoir Court, Prashad Nagar, Jacksonville Water-front Housing Scheme, North Ruimveldt, South Ruimveldt Park, South Ruimveldt Gardens, Lodge, North Cummingsburg, Alberttown and Kingston.

The two named companies cover the entire city on different days of the week and other areas will be affected if a solution is not found soon.