Georgetown: The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development’s Solid Waste Disposal programme will be spending $1.070B this year on several areas, including institutional strengthening and capacity building, public awareness and community participation, and continued construction and operation of the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill.Waste collection and disposal from Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and treatment and disposal of health care and hazardous waste are initiatives that are also catered for.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Collin Croal, at a recent press conference at the ministry, explained that institutional strengthening and capacity building will target training for the supervision of the construction and operation of the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill, as well as to assist in developing and implementing post closure plans for Le Repentir and the Lusignan landfill sites.
With regard to the works to be executed at Haags Bosch, Croal said these would entail completion of the expansion of cell one, which is scheduled to be done by November. Work at the facility will also include completion of the construction of leaching management facilities, as well as the construction of the storm water management ponds.
There will be the furtherance of the public awareness and community participation programme being carried out by Guyenterprise and aimed at creating understanding of Haags Bosch and promoting proper solid waste collection and disposal management in Region 4. Croal said that as part of the effort this year, there will be development of promotional materials, ads and posters to be conducted as a pilot project in three communities.
Meanwhile, a landfill compactor for Haags Bosch will be procured, the tender for which has already been awarded and the awardee has since received 20 percent of the payment. The ministry is expecting the delivery of this piece of equipment by June, he said.
Laboratory equipment to monitor the environmental conditions at Haags Bosch will also be procured.
The $1.070B will also cover the closure of dumpsites on the East Coast and East Bank Demerara, the partial closure of the Lusignan landfill, purchase of one hook lift truck and 11 to 15 feet waste collectors to service the commercial areas in Georgetown and the market within the NDCs, Croal said.
The design of the hazardous waste treatment facility is also budgeted for in the allocation.
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