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Govt’s imported garbage truck
Minister Whittaker says cost does not cover the truck only
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, is contending that the reason why the one Hook Lift Truck to be used in solid waste disposal comes at a cost of US$436,000 is “the cost does not merely cover a truck.”
This high tonnage truck with large compactor was quoted between US$96,000 and– US$126,000 depending on the Freight on Board cost to ship the truck.
According to Whittaker the cost is indeed given as US$ 436,803 and funded by the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) which has approved it.
The Minister explained during a press conference on Friday that the cost includes a “chassis with 32 tons capacity with double front and rear axles; hook lift equipment; an auxiliary crane; 10 closed top containers 15x4x8 feet; one open top container, 15x8x4 feet and spare parts.”
Also included in the cost he said is the provision for training four staff members for which the manufacturer is providing the training. The Minister pointed out that all the pieces of equipment are new.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, announced recently that Cabinet gave its no objection to solid waste contracts for the procurement of one Hook Lift truck that costs US $436,000.
The price for such trucks online, brand new, ranged from the lowest tonnage and compactor size for US$20,000 to the highest tonnage and compactor size worth US$120,000.
The price is also dependent on whether the truck is coming with the compactor which collects waste, or by itself. It would be cheaper without the compactor so in the case of the price quoted for the highest tonnage brand new truck the price would be less than US$120,000.
Luncheon himself was taken aback by the price of the truck when he was delivering the figures within the distribution of contracts. He said, “One hook lift truck— the one that hooks the garbage bin and pull it up is at a cost of US$436,000 odd. That’s a lot of money boy.”
He was later asked why did Cabinet not red flag the pricing taking into context that he himself was taken aback by the price for the one truck.
Luncheon responded, “I live three minutes away from here. Anything other than on foot to me is a little car drive so I am not too knowledgeable. But I know about money and that’s a lot of money.”
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker
In justifying the acquisition of the vehicle however he had said that the truck would be used to lift huge bins that have already been purchased and distributed across the region.
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