Linden garbage collection system in “crisis” – Mayor

In the mining town of Linden with a population of approximately 70,000, the garbage collection system is in a “crisis”, as the entire population is being served with one tractor, Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland said.
For several months, residents of Linden have been complaining persistently about the build-up of garbage at their homes. Each week, on the scheduled day of garbage collection, residents would have their garbage ready to be collected, but each time the garbage trucks would fail to show up.

Holland, speaking with Guyana Times disclosed that “currently we have no garbage trucks, we have one, but it is old and is unable to climb the hills so it is of no use. We have one tractor that we are using to service the town but that can only do a little”.
One resident from the Block 22 community, Dawn Benjamin said, “You know how long these garbage here, every week I am waiting for the garbage truck to come, but they are not coming.”
Residents of One Mile area have echoed similar sentiments.
The Mayor said, “We have mechanics working to repair the truck for the past weeks, but they haven’t completed their work as yet. The truck is okay, but it is the hydraulics opening part for the garbage that is not working.”
He remains uncertain when the truck will be functional again and able to serve residents.
Some residents have resorted to the private company, Cevon’s Waste Management. According to residents, not everyone can afford to pay to dispose of their garbage.
One Lindener said, “I am a pensioner; I already have light bill, water bill and telephone bill. I cannot afford to pay garbage bill now with the little pension I receiving. What money will I pay garbage bill with now? The Government raises the little pension but then they take it all back with the water bill, because I never used to pay water bill.”
Despite the fact many residents have welcomed the private garbage company, the Mayor and Town Council (M&TC) is not pleased with the company’s presence accusing it of “illegal disposal”.
Recently, residents of the Wisroc area have complained about Cevon’s Waste dumping garbage at the community’s watershed area. They disclosed that they were afraid that the water would become polluted and unsafe to use.
In earlier reports, Regional Chairman Renis Morian, who had spoken on the matter, disclosed that they wanted to promote a green environment and to do such, they would have to put garbage disposal management under a separate programme. Morian noted the garbage disposal system would have to be looked into comprehensively.