Albouystown/Charlestown residents agree to pay fee

Garbage collection fee consultation

…call for reassessment of collection days

As City Hall prepares to implement a fee for the collection of household garbage, residents of the Georgetown wards of Albouystown and Charlestown, represented by only six persons who attended the consultation, have signalled their support for the initiative, but have proposed a reassessment of the days when garbage would be collected in their wards.

The City’s Solid Waste Director, Walter Narine, hosted the penultimate consultation at the Albouystown Health Centre before the recommendation is taken to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) for decision.
The consultation exercise was ordered by Mayor Patricia Chase-Green. Narine told the residents that approximately $1 million is expended each month to collect garbage in the Albouystown/Charlestown area, with $787 being the average cost to remove one bin.
He told the six residents that they should do the math, adding that the rates and taxes have not increased since 1994. He stated that the City is ready to further improve its service being delivered to the residents, but noted that it cannot be done without the help of the residents.

The residents were informed that City Hall is not going to be imposing a garbage collection fee, and that the consultation is for them to provide a feedback and suggestion to improve garbage collection in the City.
The handful of residents explained that instead of collecting garbage two days per week in their area, City Hall should re-evaluate and collect one day, since many of the bins are half empty when collection day comes around. In addition to that, they proposed that the two days’ collection commence in November and run to December, when there is heightened cleaning activities for the holiday season.
In relation to the fee, five of the residents noted that $200 weekly per household is a reasonable charge, while one elderly gentleman proposed $100.
However, Mayor Chase-Green took into account the number of residents, and informed them that such a small number is not sufficient for making such a decision, but she noted that their suggestions would be taken into account.
The residents also complained about persons living in the community dumping faeces ion the alleyways and other unsanitary materials in the drains, resulting in the creation of health hazards. They suggest that action be taken against those defaulting residents.
The aim of the fee implementation is to broaden the Council’s revenue base so that it can meet its expenses. The Council’s two garbage contractors — Puran Brothers Disposal and Cevons Waste Management — withdrew their services on July 30, 2017 as City Hall’s debts had risen to the multi-million-dollar range.
According to the companies, the issue of non-payment has been a long-standing one, with many debts going as far back as 2015.
However, they had resumed collection after the municipality approached Central Government through the Communities Ministry for a bailout of $475,635,245 to settle the city’s debt to Puran Brothers, Cevons, and another company.
The bailout was granted, and Central Government decided to pick up the tab until December 31, after which the M&CC would step in. The Council is expected by the end of June to procure two new garbage trucks to aid in garbage collection.
The final consultation will be today at the Kitty Market area at 18:00hrs.