…current contract with Puran, Cevons expires in October
The Georgetown Mayor and City Council is advertising for proposals for solid waste contracting agencies although their current contract with Puran Brothers and Cevons Waste Management comes to an end in October.
Solid waste collectors contracted under City Hall
At Tuesday’s statutory meeting, Mayor Ubraj Narine said, “the two contracts – Puran and Cevons – shall come [to] an end on October 5, 2020, which I open proposals from different agencies and persons to put forward. Not only Councillors but within Georgetown and out of Georgetown to see how we would be able to deal with the matter of solid waste.”
Over the years, City Hall has battled with its deficit budget to pay the solid waste contractors for services in Georgetown and its environs. On November 25, 2018, the collectors withdrew their services after months of operating without payments. Immediately after the withdrawal, services were provided by five agencies namely: Granderson, Trash Tech, Tri Star, C&S Services and Garbage Eaters.
The deadlock between the Council and contractors had many implications on the collection process within the capital city as residential and commercial areas were piled high with garbage.
As such, both solid waste collectors met with Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan and officials of the M&CC, where it was promised that payment would be made; putting an end to the unending saga between collectors and the cash-strapped Council.
Back in January 2019, Central Government had intervened to bail out City Hall of their debts by disbursing $100 million to the contractors. During that time, the total owed amount was pegged at over $160 million. Limited services were provided within the capital city and its environs.
However, this was a temporary arrangement to assist the smaller contractors and did not interfere with their existing contract with the local organ body.
A ballpark figure of some $80 million was later paid to complete the payments of all debts owed.
Earlier last year, the Council had signalled intentions to implement a $100 fee for every barrel of garbage collected within Georgetown.
Later in May, Mayor Narine related that the five-year contract was examined during a meeting among officials of the Council and the collectors.
They were able to lower the monthly cost of these services from some $32 million to just over $14 million.
