Linden Mining enterprise (LINMINE) General Manager Emmet Alves is raising a stink over indiscriminate dumping of garbage in key locations which he blames for hastening deterioration and stymieing repair works to key bridges in the bauxite-mining community.
Alves is outraged by the oxen stubbornness of residents who turn a deaf ear to repeated pleas by officials of the Mayor and Town Council (M&TC); the Bridge Committee and LINMINE.
“We have…identified an area not very far away that the Council provided for residents to dump their garbage and the Council can remove it weekly. This suggestion has not been taken on board so we continue to struggle with getting residents not to dump around the bridge,” he said.
Restrictions imposed by the Public Health Ministry to counter the contagious and deadly COVID-19 pandemic has stalled plans by the Upper Demerara/Berbice (Region Ten) Bridge Committee. The intervention by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Ltd (NICIL) to help the M&TC to solve the garbage crisis has borne little fruit, Alves admitted. This, he said is done every month to the tune of three to four million dollars to helping the Council with its upkeep of the town.
“Nothing has materialised,” the disappointed LINMINE official said.
“We have even suggested for the strategic placement of large bins…for residents to use but the Council, while embracing the idea informed us that they have no place to access such bins,” Alves explained.
He said a contractor is currently manufacturing skid bins, which hopefully, residents would dispose of household refuse
The wanton dumping of garbage helps hasten the rotting of structures and delays effective and efficient maintenance of bridges, Alves explained referring to the Linden-Wismar Bridge linking the two Region 10 communities.
Officials are maximizing on the ongoing national COVID-influenced curfew to fix the problem.
“We have less people on the road and more are using the bridge so the situation will afford us an opportunity… to be being able to better monitor what goes on around the bridge. The public must understand that their actions have long term and significant impact on the bridge’s operation,” the LINMINE to official argued.
He warned residents that the company with be forced to use tougher measures to force compliance with the rules to help preserve the life of the bridge.
NICIL contributes financially to the M&TC to help with the upkeep of the structure. Tolls also help cover operational expenses, including maintenance, which the dumping of garbage severely hinders, Alves reminded while making known his displeasure over their ongoing behaviour recently.
More Stories
Paramakatoi to get new $799M airstrip
Public servants, pensioners to receive $100k cash grant before November month-end – President Ali announces
Additional 75 megawatts of power to be added to the national grid