Min Manickchand outlines major push on waste management, cleaner communities in Budget 2026

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand, on Thursday signalled a major expansion of waste management systems across Guyana, telling the National Assembly that government is investing in new landfill sites, garbage trucks and community initiatives to improve sanitation and public health.

Leading her contribution to the Budget 2026 debates, the minister said cleaner and safer communities remain a central demand from citizens and a priority for her ministry.

“Our citizens want wholesome, clean, safe communities to live in… and we are hearing them and listening to them,” she said.

To address longstanding waste disposal challenges, Minister Manickchand announced the construction of several new landfill sites across multiple regions, along with upgrades to existing facilities. She also disclosed that every neighbourhood democratic council (NDC) and municipality will receive at least one garbage compactor truck.

“Every single NDC, every single municipality, is going to get a garbage compactor truck. That will be a first in this country,” she told the House.

In addition, the government is procuring bins, shredders and compactors for markets and communities, while also supporting public education and youth-led initiatives aimed at changing attitudes toward solid waste disposal.

“There is an effort… to change how we deal with solid waste in this country,” the minister said, calling on all stakeholders to support the campaign.

The local government minister noted that improvements are already being made at major disposal sites, including Haggs Bosch, where operational changes have reduced the impact of odours on nearby communities, while technical teams continue to examine longer-term solutions.

Beyond waste management, the minister outlined broader investments to strengthen local government bodies and decentralise services. She said each NDC will receive $30 million and municipalities $50 million to execute community-driven projects, bringing total allocations to more than $2 billion for NDCs and $500 million for municipalities.

Infrastructure development also forms a key part of the ministry’s programme, with new and rehabilitated buildings planned for local government organs, along with the construction of roads, recreational facilities and markets across the country.

Nearly $5 billion has been set aside to rehabilitate or construct markets, which Minister Manickchand described as vital hubs of economic and social activity.

The minister also highlighted employment initiatives under the Pathway Workers Programme and Community Enhancement Workers Programme, noting that thousands of Guyanese, many of them women, continue to benefit.

The minister said the overall approach of Budget 2026 reflects a long-standing philosophy of governance centred on people rather than resources.

“If we want to build Guyana, if we want to make people’s lives better, we have to begin with political will… a love for people and the willingness to work hard,” she said.

She affirmed that the government will continue to invest in communities across all regions, emphasising that local government plays a critical role in delivering services, improving infrastructure and ensuring that development reaches citizens in every part of the country.