Garbage disposal, enforcing COVID-19 restrictions top City Hall’s agenda

Georgetown’s garbage disposal situation, enforcing COVID-19 restrictions, and the physical state of the municipal abattoir were discussed at a recent meeting between the Town Clerk (ag) Candace Nelson, Medical Officer of Health Suzette Reynolds-Marcus, and other senior staff of the Public Health Department.

At that meeting, the acting Town Clerk raised several issues affecting the wellbeing of the city including the Council’s support for the work of the National Covid Task Force to enforce compliance with measures to contain the spread of the deadly virus, the negative garbage situation, sanitisation of municipal markets, meat and food hygiene, and the physical condition of the municipal abattoir.
Environmental and Health Officials noted that one of the challenges facing its department is the inadequate number of appropriate facilities and poor monitoring of those facilities such as wash sinks and appurtenances that are installed at strategic locations in Georgetown.
Also raised was the issue of unknown persons removing facilities that were placed for the wellbeing of the citizens. Those in attendance agreed that these are vital to the collective national effort to contain the spread of coronavirus in the city and the country as a whole. It was decided that immediate measures will be put in place, not only to increase the number of such facilities but to ensure that they are properly used.
Nelson has committed to engaging the National Task Force on COVID about greater collaboration with the city’s Public Health Department. In the meantime, the Constabulary will play a greater role in working with the Public Health Department to persuade citizens to comply with COVID-19 measures.
Turning their attention to the abattoir, it was noted that the facility needs urgent repairs.

“Its present physical condition and numerous defects, and the resource constraints of the Council make it necessary for the Council to seek assistance from the relevant national and international organisations,” a press statement from City Hall said.
“No responsible organisation could sit comfortably with such an important and necessary food processing health facility in that condition,” it added. Furthermore, the City Hall administration will be pursuing the existing agreement between the corporation, whose equipment damaged the abattoir, and the Council.

Nelson has asked the City Engineer to revisit this matter. Another problem identified by the Environmental Section is the need to encourage homeowners and businesses to provide refuse receptacles on their premises. On this note, Chief Environmental Officer (ag), Floyd Rollins indicated that the absence of receptacles is contributing to indiscriminate dumping of garbage in communities.

Meanwhile, to promote public awareness on the importance of proper disposal habits and the need to keep the environment clean and healthy at all times, the Environmental Health Division will launch a public awareness health campaign in different parts of the city.
Activities will include specially designed public messages, visits and inspections to business places for receptacles, and information sharing on the importance of waste receptacles.
The acting Town Clerk said there will be more focus on an inter-department approach to enhance and protect the health of the environment and local communities. She said that all departments of the municipality must work together to facilitate the effectiveness of municipal systems that deliver health and other services to citizens.