Officials of the Region Three Regional Democratic Council (RDC) have been asked to assist in identifying suitable land for the disposal of solid waste.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, M.P made the call during his recent visit to the region.
Since assuming office in August 2020, government has put systems in place to integrate sanitation management systems, to safeguard human health and boost the country’s tourism potential.
This saw the commissioning of cell two of the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill, and the temporary upgrade of other landfills across the country.
Minister Dharamlall said government is working with the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC) to identify a space for a landfill in the region. He said solid waste management remains a challenge to government.
“I think that they [regional officials] are being ‘standoffish’ where this is concerned, leaving it to central government, so I would like to underscore that we are one Guyana, one team and we are building one country for one Guyana. And we can only do this if all of us are working for the same purpose.”
Government has been making tremendous strides in its national clean up initiative kicked off by President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali in January, this year.
The initiative caught the attention of several international investors who attended the country’s recently hosted International Energy Conference and Expo.
“I hope too that we are going to take action to prosecute anyone who is caught dumping garbage, and until we can get total control over this issue of solid waste management only then we would be in a relaxed mode,” Minister Dharamlall noted.
This year, some $1.4 billion will be used to improve sanitary and environmental conditions through infrastructural development countrywide. It includes monies for the design and construction of a gas management system and stormwater ponds for Haags Bosch.