Govt. steps in to help City Hall with solid waste debt

Nov 06, 2017 News

The Central Government has committed to settling the outstanding debt which the Georgetown Mayor and City Council,( M&CC), owes to two private solid waste disposal companies.
During a press conference on Friday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, announced that the Government has decided to step in to assist City Hall with the $300 million debt it owes to Cevon Waste Management and Puran Brother’ s Waste Disposal Services.
Harmon explained that the companies have actually made proposals for the settlement of the outstanding amounts.
The Minister of State noted while the Government had taken a position not to intervene in matters of the Council, it was recognised that the Council needed assistance in this instance.
“We recognize now that there is a problem and it makes no sense for us to operate as if there is no problem.”
“We believe once people have done work they should be paid and so I want to give that assurance to the service providers that government is mindful of the fact that they provided a service and that they have it paid,” he said.
As such, Harmon said that the matter is currently engaging the Minister of Communities.
“And after it will come to Cabinet for Cabinet to deliberate on it,” Harmon said.
Town Clerk of the Georgetown M&CC, Royston King, had previously announced that the Council is looking to settle the debt with the two contractors which dates back to 2015 by the end of this year.
The Council had unveiled a plan to collect special fees for commercial and industrial waste as part of efforts to offset the expenses.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

“All monies owed to our partners will be paid before the end of this year, 2017,” Town Clerk Royston King had assured.
With controversy surrounding the withdrawal of two of its major solid waste contractors since August, the cash strapped council was left to grapple with containing the garbage condition in several wards of the city.
Cevons Waste Management and Puran Brothers, the two principal waste disposal entities contracted to the Georgetown Municipality, indicated that they are withdrawing their services “in protest over the absence of progress in our efforts to secure payment, of amounts totaling in excess of $300 million dollars owing to us by the Georgetown City Council.”
The companies in a joint statement explained that they understood the implications the withdrawal of their service will have on the citizens and institutions in and around the capital.
“Indeed, it is our wish that a change in the circumstances that led to our decision to withdraw our services in the first place can come about quickly, thereby significantly minimizing the impact of the action that has been taken,” the statement outlined.

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