Barima-Waini on a mission for a new landfill location

DPI, GUYANA, Monday, February 26, 2018

Mayor of Mabaruma in Barima-Waini (Region One), Henry Smith said the slated landfill, which aims to provide a sustainable approach to sanitation management for the region, is delayed as the municipality looks for a suitable site.

The mayor, during a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), said that the administration had encountered, “some problems where residents were objecting to it (landfill) being stationed at its set location”.

The mayor stressed that at this moment, there are talks about acquiring other alternative sites which will not only be approved by the administration but the residents for their benefit.

According to the mayor, the administration will look for locations away from person’s homes for health purposes.

Last year, the Ministry of Communities signed a contract totaling $6.5M for hydrogeological and geotechnical investigation at proposed landfills in Region One (Mabaruma and Port Kaituma) to be undertaken by E&A Consultants Limited.

Mayor Smith said that these efforts to establish the landfill sites are in keeping with the government’s ‘Green Economy’ agenda. He also highlighted that despite the pause on the landfill, there was tremendous improvement regarding the region’s health care services, teachers being trained, and educational opportunities as well. He also noted the ongoing lessons being provided to secondary school students at the Mabaruma settlement to improve their knowledge due to the presence of more qualified teachers.

“Things are looking up for us, really looking up for us and you can see in the surroundings, people are more conscious about their environment, even all of the lands are being taken up as everyone wants to be in this development,” Mayor Smith said.

By: Neola Damon