Dear Editor,
In response to Mr Urling’s ‘Guyana needs an integrated management plan to address the solid waste problem’ (SN, December 22), I would like to relate my experience, which might suggest to him that until such time certain public offices are staffed by officials whose integrity is beyond reproach and corruption is eliminated, the best-made management plans would most probably be ineffective.
In 1997 I held the position of Deputy Director, NCERD, and in response to a Government of Guyana, solid waste management consultancy funded by the IDB, I had put together a team of well-qualified science educators with postgraduate degrees, and whose collective experience was congruent with the terms of reference of the advertised consultancy. I, the team leader, besides having a first degree in Chemistry, also had a Masters in Biological Sciences Education, and an Honours Specialist in Environmental Sciences. Not only had I taught environmental science at high school in Canada which included field trips to conduct environmental impact studies, but I was also exposed to solid waste management and the handling and treatment of hazardous waste.
The team undertook a lot of research. Several interviews were held with the Municipal Health Officer, the late Dr Kassim. It was decided that it was essential to reduce the amount of solid waste that was being generated in the first place in order to make the quantities more manageable. A major focus of the project therefore, was aimed at changes in human behaviour with regard to the generation of solid waste. A comprehensive proposal that included a) an adult environmental education programme; b) an environmental education programme for rural schools; and c) an environmental education programme for urban schools, in addition to the general management of solid waste was developed and submitted to the Ministry of Finance.
After not receiving any information about the award, enquiries were made at the finance ministry, only to be informed that a new proposal had to be re-submitted since the first was not received by the stated deadline. Nothing was further from the truth. However, a copy of the original proposal was re-submitted. The result of this charade was that the consultancy was awarded to a public relations and advertising firm that had close ties with the administration.
For their part the consulting firm printed some brochures, engaged a few Regent Street merchants, and a couple of schools in the Lodge area in what could be described as essentially a public relations exercise. I cannot recall the duration of the exercise, or whether any form of evaluation was undertaken to determine its impact, but what is generally known is that it was not long before the situation regressed to square one with regard to the solid waste problem. The rest is history.
The situation in Georgetown has deteriorated to such an extent that the Insurance Association of Guyana took the unusual step of issuing a press release on recent floods in Georgetown which took place on Wednesday, November 27, 2013.
Part of the release drew attention to “the culture of throwing garbage almost everywhere but in garbage receptacles and bins, compounded by poor maintenance and cleaning of drains and canals has once again proven very costly to the business community and by extension, insurance companies.” Eighteen (1997-2013) years of appropriate and adequate adult and school environmental education, but for the questionable behaviour of a public officer, could have made a lot of difference.
An official who some time later was alleged to have been implicated in a scandal is still in the public service and has since been promoted. Is there reason to doubt that this sordid history will not keep repeating itself?
Yours faithfully,
Clarence O Perry
