| NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE – Indiscriminate dumping of garbage continues to be a bugbear for the New Amsterdam Town Council.Public Health Inspector for New Amsterdam, Ackloo Ramsudh, singled out spots at Main Street and Shoe Lane, Pitt Street and Republic Road and, some sections of the Strand where persons irresponsibly deposit garbage.Public Health Inspector for New Amsterdam, Ackloo RamsudhHe called on the general public to preserve the aesthetics of the town, reform their thinking, and explore beneficial ways of treating their waste.According to Mr. Ackloo, the first step is recognising that careless disposal of refuse is a hazardous practice with negative effects on both life and the environment.The Public Health Inspector for New Amsterdam suggested that rather than turning a blind eye to the situation, persons can establish environment clubs to assist in fighting the battle.Hiring private contractors to rid the town of garbage reduces the problem but places an additional financial strain on the Council and moreso the money that would be expended could have been invested in other aspects of development.The New Amsterdam Town Council expends some $3M on the collection and disposal of garbage per annum. The budgeted figure is $8M but due to poor rate and tax collection, this sum cannot be realised.Non-payment of taxes by many also contributes to the limited manpower, since property tax collection is the main source of income for the Council. At any given time, only 30 percent is collected.In the entire municipality, there are only eight labourers and three drivers and with low remuneration packages, the rate of absenteeism is high, and the garbage collection and disposal are affected.Another factor in the solid waste battle is malfunctioning vehicles. The tractor/trailers, which are used for the collection and disposal of garbage are more than 10 years old and experience several mechanical problems.Sourcing of spare parts is also another setback. The down time due of mechanical problems is alarming but there is hardly anything the cash-strapped Council can do.In April this year, a third tractor/trailer was added to the fleet belonging to the New Amsterdam Town Council and not much difference was recorded.At present, there are only two tractors and trailers in operation since one has been inoperable for three weeks. Added to that, last week, a battery was stolen from another vehicle.A survey, which was spearheaded by the New Amsterdam Action Group (NAAG) sometime ago, revealed that New Amsterdam produces 12 tonnes of solid waste daily. The tractor/trailers available at any given time can only remove 50 percent of the entire amount.The Council had prepared a schedule for the collection of refuse for the town last year but this has to be constantly revised. Ackloo explained that by modifying this timetable, only then can the target be realised.The boundaries of New Amsterdam are the north to the Canje River, west to the Berbice River, and south to New Doe Park and east to Mount Sinai. Some 8,Andrew Franks Dolphins Jersey,000 households fall within this area.The schedule states that garbage is to be collected on Monday and Tuesday in Smythtown (Philadelphia Street to Vryheid Street both east and west). On Wednesday, one tractor goes to Queenstown and Winkel, while the other goes to Stanleytown on Wednesday and Thursday.On Thursday the Tucber/Smythfield area is serviced. Friday is for the schemes – Savannah Park, Forty-one and Amsville and Pearl Stewart along with Vryman’s Erven, including Bermine, Errol’s Ville and Mayor and Town Council Housing Schemes.According to the timetable, Mount Sinai, Islington, Overwinning, Gay Park, Glasgow and New Doe Park areas are to be serviced on Saturday.In reality, the collection on the specified days in these communities has not materialised due to several limitations. Ackloo is asking residents to transport their waste to the dumpsite, should the collection crew fail to so do at any point rather than disposing of it on the roadside.According to Ackloo, waste at the household level must be conveniently packaged for easy access and removal by the crew.There are those who construct concrete or wooden bins and then dump their waste without first packing it in bags. This, he said, cannot be accepted.The Public Health Inspector for New Amsterdam called on persons to use plastic bags or other suitable containers that would allow for easy removal.At some homes, there are no bins and the waste is not properly stored, this contributes to the disruption of the collection schedule as well.Meanwhile, the New Amsterdam Town Council rehabilitated the access road to the dumpsite at Esplanade. The $1.2 million project was completed three weeks ago and was a component of the 2009 $10 million Government Subvention for the Municipality.Access to the dumpsite has always been an issue. Permission was granted for private persons to use the dumpsite and since the Council cannot afford security personnel at the location, persons misuse the facility.Ackloo is appealing to residents to cease disposing their waste along the access road to the site. |
