Dear Editor,
We the concerned youths of Region 4 find that garbage disposal is a burning issue that plagues the Garden City and its surroundings. The residents living in the Triumph area, East Coast Demerara are no exception; they are forced to burn their garbage or dump it in empty lots or along the roadways. The residents have no other choice since the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) fails to execute its duty as it relates to garbage collection on a regular basis. Private contractors are charging residents a fee of three hundred and sixty dollars to uplift their garbage every week, while the NDC charges one thousand dollars on a monthly basis, but fails to deliver the service promised to the residents.
Garbage should be collected and disposed of in the proper manner at least two times a week, in order to prevent persons from dumping it, since some households cannot afford to pay a weekly fee for garbage collection. The non-collection of garbage can result in a number of environmental hazards ‒ the pollution of our waterways, air pollution and the harbouring of rats, cockroaches, flies and mosquitoes, etc. The non-collection of garbage can result in diseases such as influenza, leptospirosis, cholera and yellow fever. The spread of disease is on the increase due to the very active rainy season and the accumulation of garbage within the community.
The problem faced by the residents in the Truimph area was brought to our attention by one of our own members living in the area, and we are pleading with the relevant authorities to intervene in relation to the issue and bring some relief to the residents. We are asking that the NDC execute their functions in an effective and efficient manner without imposing charges to uplift garbage on a regular basis.
We are highlighting this issue with the hope that it may be addressed and that the garbage can be uplifted regularly so that persons could stop dumping, since this is related to serious health issues, while the burning of garbage contributes to air pollution and the emission of gases into the earth’s atmosphere that contributes to the damage of the ozone layer.
Yours faithfully,
R Boodhoo
C Camacho
A Alfred
S Dahood
R Stewart
G Blackman
