Linden Town Clerk tackles allegations of biased garbage collection

In response to mounting concerns from residents in various communities across Linden who allege that certain individuals are being given preferential treatment in the collection of garbage by the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC), Town Clerk Lennox Gasper has committed to taking firm action.
Amid residents voicing frustration over what they describe as an unfair and biased system of waste management where some areas consistently receive priority over others, Gasper, during a recent edition of the ‘A Closer Look at Municipal Matters’ programme, assured the public that the matter will be thoroughly investigated and that corrective measures will be implemented to ensure transparency, accountability, and equal treatment for all citizens.
He emphasized that the administration will not tolerate any form of corruption or favouritism within the municipal system.
“When there’s special work; when there’s building materials to be removed, we charge for those. But those [don’t] pay into the cashier at the council, nor to the tractor driver, nor to the workmen – we pay that into the cashier. That’s part of transparency; anything outside of that is corruption, and so I’ve got to nip that in the bud.”
The town clerk added, “They may have some ‘big boy’ – let’s put it as that – or some businessman, or somebody in Cinderella City that is able to nice a guy himself; and so, they go to him alone, pick up his garbage. But here is his neighbour, standing on his or her bridge, saying, ‘Hi sir, my stuff,’ and they’re like, ‘We’re coming back’ – No that cannot be happening.”
In this regard, the town clerk urged residents to promptly report any instances of unfair treatment or suspected misconduct to the appropriate authorities, including his office, so that such matters can be properly addressed. He emphasized that community cooperation is essential in identifying and eliminating corrupt practices within the municipality.
“I need the residents, the citizens, to help me help the staff get it right. While you might call and make a complaint because your garbage is growing too much for you to deal with or manage, we try to accommodate. They go, and they don’t want to deal with the entire street, or they don’t want to deal with the person because you just go to accommodate one individual – we can’t do it like that. Especially if the people are helping to bring the garbage themselves out and throw it into the tractor. Why would you drive away? Those are the things that I want to nip in the bud.”
LM&TC is tasked with managing solid waste collection and disposal across Linden’s eight constituencies, a vital municipal responsibility aimed at maintaining public health and environmental standards.
Historically, the Council has faced challenges, including aged equipment, limited funding, and labour disruptions. In response, it has acquired new compactor trucks to strengthen its refuse collection fleet.
Efforts have also been made to develop a comprehensive waste management strategy, in partnership with environmental consultants, to introduce proper disposal protocols, recycling, composting, and stronger enforcement measures.
Despite these initiatives, illegal dumping near the Kara Kara Blue Lake access road is causing environmental, tourism, and access concerns.
The LM&TC continues to work with regional agencies, private partners, and equipment suppliers to repair trucks, relocate dumpsites, and improve collection services in order to fulfil its mandate effectively.