What is the Policy on Garbage Bins?

Jan 07, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

For the past 3 months, I have been the victim of vandalism where on two separate occasions, two of my garbage bins have been maliciously damaged by D & S Waste Disposal Services and Sandip Waste Disposal Services.

When I contacted Mr. Walter Narine who is the Director of Solid Waste
management for Region 4 on Friday December 30, 2022, he explained to me that there is a policy in place by Mayor and City Council that garbage bins are required to have holes in them because
of leaching. Leaching is the process where organic matter breaks down into liquid form. The explanation that Mr. Narine gave to me was a valid explanation; however, I asked Mr. Narine to please provide me
with the doctrine where that policy is captured in writing along with the signature of the person who approved it and I am still not in receipt of that policy in writing along with the approval signature.

When I did my internal investigations throughout the neighbourhood located in Cummings Lodge, I was surprised that no one else’s bins were damaged nor had holes in them. I took the investigation even further outside of my neighbourhood to include Campbellville, Kitty,
Lamaha Gardens, Sophia and some locations within the city and the same result was that no one else’s garbage bins had holes in them for the purpose of leaching as was explained to me by Mr.
Narine. I am publicly calling out Mr. Narine to please provide me with the policy as explained to me that garbage bins are required to have holes in them for the purpose of leaching along with the approval
signature and date of implementation.

If such a policy does exist, why am I the only one that is being victimized by these garbage disposal contractors? How come this policy does not apply to everyone else in the neighbourhood? My
garbage bins are my personal property that were purchased by me. What gives the contractors the right to damage my garbage bins blatantly?
I kindly ask that the Mayor and City Council please replace my two garbage bins. Additionally, for over a decade, Cevon’s Waste Management and Puran’s Waste disposal services has serviced
our community and I have never experienced such damage and destruction to personal property as what is currently going on with these other waste disposal services (Sandip and D & S). The only
problem I ever had with Cevon and Puran was when they would go on strike because Mayor and City Council had owed them money and would not pay them for their services. Yet every year, rates and taxes are paid and up to date with Mayor and City Council. The President of Guyana should do a commission of inquiry into Mayor and City Council solid waste management department along with Mr. Narine to see what personal connections Mr. Narine might have with
these contractors.

Kind regards,
Simeon Taylor