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Haags Bosch “pickers” furious after denied access to dumpsite
…Site still unsafe – Director of Solid Waste
Scores of Waste Recovery Entrepreneurs – more popularly known as “Litter Pickers” – were yesterday denied entry into the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill at Eccles, an act which they claim, is a deliberate attempt to
Some of the Waste Recovery Entrepreneurs (pickers) yesterday morning.
tamper with their livelihoods.
When Kaieteur News visited the entrance to the dump yesterday, several Pickers were seen sitting on a culvert nearby venting their frustration.
“All we want to do is work; they say how the smoke will bother us…but it’s not! Why we can’t go in and work? They telling we that we can’t get in…We have permission from the Ministry of Local Government (and Regional Development) to plunge (recover waste) in the dumpsite” said Carlotta Grant displaying her badge, and certificate of participation of the “GT Recyclers Visioning Workshop”.
Personnel attached to BK International (Contractor) according to the Pickers, were seen “doing their work” where the personnel were caught on camera sorting through refuse, burning copper and piling up bottles.
“Them say we can’t go and work but BK man (workers) dem in there working and doing we wuk, we got them on camera man…They taking bread out we mouth. Now the people (customers) that used to come buy things from us going to BK workers dem…We independent people and dem is workers for BK; now them getting pay two side because they taking we bite…taking bread out we mouth,”
Some of the trucks queuing up to enter the dumpsite yesterday morning at 11:00 am.
said another.
Several trucks attached to various disposal services were also denied access to the dumpsite by an individual who refused to open the gate. The truckers also expressed frustration by stating that the gate was being closed without explanation.
“All the time truck was going in but as soon as we come to work, they close the gate…What that tell you? It mean like them spite we,” said Diana Rudder, another Picker.
When questioned why pickers were denied entry, the security guard at the gate replied, “I get orders to close the gate”.
“Who gave the orders?”
“I get orders from management,” he said.
Asking for a comment pertaining to the access being denied to truckers and pickers, the Site Manager Lloyd Stanton said yesterday that, as it relates to the fire, he will be willing to comment however, as it relates to the temporary holding site – which is being operated by the Government thru the Ministry of Communities – and the pickers gaining entry to that temporary holding area, he would not be commenting since it would be out of his jurisdiction to do so.
According to the Director of Solid Waste Management attached to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) Walter Narine, the fire is under control; however, there is still fire within the core of the dump hence during his last visit, he asked the Pickers to give him two weeks – where he estimated – before things could go back to normalcy.
This move Narine said was all to ensure the safety of the pickers, since smoke is still emanating from the area.
As it relates to picking in the temporary holding site, Narine pointed out that it was also hazardous to health since it was located a short distance away from the burning area.
On the issue of BK International’s personnel allegedly picking in the dump; “taking bread out of the mouth” of pickers, Narine expressed that if this was true, it would be deemed as unfair. He then assured this publication that an investigation would be launched.
According to recent reports, due to a spontaneous combustion on December 20, last, several sections of the site were shut down, and the residents of surrounding communities were exposed to the “adverse” effects of the grey smoke that polluted the area.
The Ministry of Communities in a press release last month blamed the Solid Waste contractors, BK International and Puran Brothers Disposal Services for not adhering to the Operations Management Requirements as stipulated under Section 15.6 of the signed agreement regarding fire prevention and firefighting.
The statement revealed that the unhealthy situation did not surprise the Ministry, since there was “evidence of poor management techniques and inadequate security measures” among others employed by the contractors.
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