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Public-spirited citizens mount clean-up exercise opposite City Hall
Yesterday, armed with one spade, a wheel barrow and sticks, several public-spirited citizens took up the task of carrying out a ‘round about’ clean-up in the vicinity of the Plaisance Bus Park, located just opposite City Hall.
The cleanup exercise saw the drains encircling the block housing the Bank of Baroda, bordered by the Avenue of the Republic and Hinck Streets, completely cleared of waste matter; thus allowing excess
The clean-up in progress yesterday
water on the roadways to run freely.
When Kaieteur News visited the site, heaps of sludge that were dug from the drains could be seen along parapets, while the drains were clear. The excess dirt was then dumped at the base of the trees along the Avenue to serve as mould.
The cleanup team; consisting of bus drivers, conductors and vendors; expressed that as “permanent dwellers” of the area, plying their trade there on a daily basis, they saw the need to maintain the environs as a benefit to themselves.
“More or less we would be on the park whole day… everyday. And as soon as li’l rain fall, we get flooded out. So we just decide to do a general clean up today,” one member of the team noted.
It was their contention, however, that had the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) been carrying out its duty, there would be no need for citizens to take it upon themselves to carry out the works, especially in the line of maintaining drainage.
“I feel that if they (M&CC) continue maintaining it, we would not get half of the amount of water flooding the place,” one bus driver opined.
Ironically, it was noted that one of the senior councilors of the M&CC visited the site and “was amazed” at what the three-hour clean-up had accomplished.
ENFORCEMENT
Further, lack of enforcement at the level of the City Council is also being blamed for the steady flooding experienced in the area. Over the years, the Council, by means of the media, has been urging food vendors and owners of restaurants to ensure that appropriate grease trap systems are in place so as to guard against the blockage of waterways.
In a press statement issued recently, the Council had warned that fats from various types of meat get into open surfaces and street drains, resulting in waterways being blocked.
Though regulations are in place to prevent this dreaded occurrence, enforcement is being questioned as it is evident that restaurants located in the vicinity have fallen short of providing the adequate facilities to allow for proper drainage, thus contributing to flooding in the city.
Councilors are also being urged to ensure that restaurants are complying with the measures set out. (Tiffanne Ramphal)
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