City to streamline garbage collection in big communities

The Solid Waste Department of the Georgetown municipality is aiming to streamline garbage collection in large communities in a bid to conserve its resources.

Director of Solid Waste Walter Narine told Stabroek News last week that since the city took charge of garbage collection, it has been collecting in different sections of large communities, such as Kitty, Campbellville, and North and South Cummingsburg, on multiple days. He said that the department is now in the process of mapping out a way in which they can collect garbage from an entire area on one scheduled day.

“Yesterday, we tried it in North and South Cummingsburg and we were able to collect garbage from that area, which is a big one, in a morning,” he pointed out while explaining that they previously collected garbage in that ward every Wednesday and Thursday.

“With this new system, we are able to make more resources available… It is also better for the communities… not having to have the trucks in their streets every day,” he said, before adding that a similar plan was being mapped out for the other areas. He noted that the city would engage residents before the new plan is rolled out.

In addition, Narine refuted claims that the city’s collection has not been on schedule. He said it has improved its service significantly as the contractors no longer depend on his department for guidance as they did when they started.

Stabroek News was told that garbage was not being picked up on schedule in some sections of Campbellville.

Narine added that if persons have complaints, they can contact the Solid Waste Department and it would make a truck available to collect garbage that has been left behind.

Narine said the city has been able to collect garbage in every community at least once per week.

In August, the two largest private garbage disposal companies, Cevons Waste Management Inc and Puran Brothers Disposal Inc, were forced to suspend their operations to protest the council’s continued failure to honour its financial obligations to them. The companies are owed over $300 million in total for work dating back to 2015.

Unable to pay the contractors, the council contracted three smaller waste disposal companies to assist with collection.