MCC unable to fund Solid Waste Department building repairs

Jul 26, 2016 News

The Solid Waste department lunchroom is badly in need of repairs

On April 11, Chief Labour Officer within the Ministry of Social Protection, Charles Ogle, instructed Labour, Occupational Safety and Health (LOSAH) officers, Latoya John and Roydon Croal, to conduct “workplace” inspections at departments of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC).
The Solid Waste Management Department was one department that was inspected and found to be in breach of several LOSAH regulations. The deplorable state of the buildings at the Princes Street, Georgetown location was highlighted the LOSAH report.
After inspections were completed, the LOSAH report was handed over to Town Clerk, Royston King, on July 1 with a July 29 deadline for these breaches to be rectified before a further follow up inspection by the LOSAH officials on August 2.
At the M&CC’s statutory meeting yesterday it was revealed that the Municipality is strapped for cash and as a result renovation to the Solid Waste Department buildings are not going to be undertaken any time soon even as LOSAH’s deadline is days away.
Kaieteur News understands that the Solid Waste Department building was last renovated more than 15 years ago. Due to neglect has deteriorated over time.
In the report it was stated, “The building that housed employees is in a deplorable state and needed urgent repair. There were missing windows, wood ants were visible on the walls of the building and holes were visible in the ground flooring and also in the walls of the building. The upper part of the building can collapse due to the deplorable state.

The deplorable state of the Solid Waste Department Building

That is indeed an occupational hazard.”
The report continued that while lunchroom facilities were provided for staff, it was in a dilapidated state. There were holes in the roof through which, whenever it rained, water leaked to the extent that the lunchroom would be flooded.
In addition there were missing windows and wall boards as well as several old cabinets in the room.
It was concluded that the Ministry’s visit to the M&CC was timely and “very informative” since the officers met with management and the aggrieved workers, a firsthand look at the working conditions was obtained and the officials left the location with a better understanding of the challenges faced by workers and management.

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