Despite billions budgeted for solid waste management, the North District Council (NDC) of Port Kaituma, Region One, is failing to provide adequate garbage collection, creating serious environmental and health hazards in the town, according to residents and business owners.
Posting on his social media page, Leader of the We Invest In Nationhood (WIN), Azruddin Mohamed, highlighted the growing frustration in the community, saying, “Port Kaituma business owners and residents do not have any public bins or a proper cycle of garbage collection and are forced to dump garbage in an unlawful manner because of the inefficiency of the NDC to properly manage solid waste collection in and around the business hub of Port Kaituma Waterfront.”
Residents report that the tractor and trailer assigned to collect garbage arrives sporadically, often once a week or sometimes not for more than two weeks. The council has reportedly diverted the vehicle to other tasks unrelated to garbage collection, leaving the town’s streets and waterfront littered with waste.
The failure to properly manage solid waste poses immediate health risks, including the spread of vector-borne diseases, contamination of water sources, and proliferation of vermin. Public health experts warn that such conditions, if left unaddressed, could trigger outbreaks of preventable illnesses, particularly in areas with high human and livestock interaction.
Environmental advocates have also raised concerns about the long-term consequences of poor waste management. Guyana, as a signatory to the Paris Climate Agreement, has committed to reducing environmental degradation and promoting sustainable practices, including proper waste disposal and recycling. The ongoing neglect in Port Kaituma undermines these commitments, contributing to pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and the degradation of fragile ecosystems along the Matarkai River and surrounding areas.
Mohamed called on the authorities to take immediate action, stating, “WIN calls on the Regional Chairman and the Ministry of Local Government to act immediately in ensuring timely garbage collection and to have bins installed in the community.”
Business owners and residents insist that without urgent intervention, the waste crisis will escalate, worsening public health risks and environmental damage, and highlighting systemic failures in local governance despite significant budget allocations for solid waste management.
