City, private sector to work on garbage strategy

-meeting to be sought with businesses run by Chinese nationals

A delegation from City Hall at an overflowing heap on Regent Street during a walkabout on Tuesday. (Photo by Terrence Thompson)
A delegation from City Hall at an overflowing heap on Regent Street during a walkabout on Tuesday. (Photo by Terrence Thompson)

Following a walk along several blocks of Regent Street on Tuesday, the City Administration and the Private Sector Commission (PSC) have agreed to cooperate on the development of a garbage strategy for individual businesses and to reach out to the Chinese Ambassador to better facilitate the integration of Chinese-run businesses.

Mayor Ubraj Narine, Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore, Town Clerk Sharon Harry- Munroe along with several other members of the City Administration were joined by businessman Gerry Gouveia in a tour of one of the city’s main business districts as they sought to better understand the challenges affecting proper solid waste management in the City.

According to Gouveia, while the City is “drowning in garbage” its improvement can’t be the responsibility of Council alone.

Mayor Ubraj Narine (second from left) and Private Sector Commission representative Gerry Gouveia (left) highlighting the disposal of chemical receptacles along Regent Street on Tuesday. (Photo by Terrence Thompson)

“The City needs help. Citizens need to help, the private sector needs to help, businesses on Regent Street and all across the City got to help…but persons are saying that the garbage is on the street because they put it there expecting the garbage truck to pass but the truck doesn’t pass. So the City’s logistics also needs work,” he said.

Both he and Narine acknowledged that several businesses visited appeared to have a garbage strategy which must be commended.

“I am an owner of an airline and if I can’t demonstrate to the Civil Aviation Authority that I have a maintenance programme for my planes I can’t fly them…if I run a business in this city I must demonstrate to the Mayor and City Council that I have a garbage strategy especially if you are generating this kind of garbage I have to show you what is the plan,” the businessman opined.

The Deputy Mayor while agreeing with Gouveia noted that Council could develop its own policy which allows for licensing of business to be linked to compliance with a City garbage disposal policy.

Also acknowledged is the need for a re-valuation of properties in the City so that a more effective rate structure can be developed.

Gouveia meanwhile drew attention to the fact that a lot of the businesses along Regent Street are owed by Chinese nationals who don’t speak English and suggested that it might be helpful to reach out to the Chinese ambassador to have him facilitate a meeting with all Chinese

“We are having a difficulty communicating with them so we need to urgently arrange a meeting with them,” he stressed, adding that the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry can also be approached to facilitate a “town hall meeting” with all city businesses and the council.