THE listing below illustrates some of the areas within Georgetown which are affected by the garbage pile-ups in the city. This information is as a direct result of the work done by members of the Implementation Committee, along with the City Constabulary Department of the Mayor and City Councillors (M&CC) of Georgetown over the past few weeks and will also be part of an ongoing exercise. This newspaper understands that the monitoring team setup has been going about different strategic areas in Georgetown to ascertain the level of garbage pileup as well as the health risks along with other impeding factors which are as a result of the pileups.
The list below gives an idea of some of the businesses and agencies which are affected on a daily basis.
General Location    Businesses which may be affected by the garbage pileup
Croal Street bet. Longden and Avenue of the Republic (AR)    Human Service Ministry, Berbice Car Park
East and Quamina Streets    Sankar’s Auto Supplies, Schools, Hilaal Fast Food
America Street bet. Longden and Water Streets    Sanjay’s Jewelry, Digicel, Fazia’s Fashion, small businesses and a cambio
Regent Street bet. Alexander and Camp Streets    Classic Styles and other small businesses
Stabroek Market Square    Salt and Pepper, Quik Serv, Small Businesses, Several Car Parks
Berbice Car Park (General vicinity)    Small businesses, the Arcade, Churches Chicken, Brewsters, Hack’s Halaal Restaurant
Thomas Street bet. Church and Quamina Streets    Ministry of Agriculture, St. Angeles Primary School, several small businesses
Regent Street bet. Alexander and Bourda Streets    Torginal Paint Incorporated, New Fashions and other small businesses
Middle Street bet. East and Cummings Streets    Juice Power, several Pharmacies and other small businesses
Light and Sixth Streets    Excel Minerals and other small businesses
North and Camp Streets    Singh’s Confectionary and other small businesses
Main Street bet. New Market and Lamaha Streets    King Plaza Hotel, Ministry of Finance, British High Commission, Rizan’s Photo Studio
Main Street bet. Quamina and Holmes Streets    Courts Guyana Ltd., Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture, New Thriving Restaurant
Middle Road and Punt Trench, Independence Boulevard     Guyana National Printers, Shipping Companies, King Panel, Restaurants and other small businesses

Chronicle was told yesterday that, as a result of the above, the Implementation Committee along with the M&CC will be contacting businesses and entities following up on these findings.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Chronicle, on Friday last, took to the streets of Georgetown to get a firsthand look at the surveys being conducted by the recently established Monitoring Unit on garbage around the city.

Speaking with this publication, Corporal Quacy Baveghems, head of the team, said the exercise on Friday entailed doing assessment of garbage disposal within Georgetown. He said visits will be conducted to several businesses and private residences in the various wards of Georgetown, to properly educate persons on the penalties as well as the health hazards that improper dumping of garbage attracts.

“We’re going to all businesses and most likely residents in the areas (in) the different wards within Georgetown, which is 52 wards. We’re hoping for the best with garbage disposal within the city of Georgetown. We (have been) doing this since last week Saturday, the survey within Georgetown,” Baveghems stated.

Meanwhile, a few concerned minibus operators, who willingly shared their views on the garbage situation, expressed utter disgust at the business community for the role it has played in the present unacceptable state of the city.

“When these vendors finish working at nights, they pay the junkies to carry their stuff and dump it anywhere… When they done, they don’t even look to see where these junkies throwing the stuff,” one woman said.

She pointed out that the constables are not taking the right actions and dealing with the people who truly are the culprits in these mischievous acts.

“A day I see a lady throw down a bottle in the pile of garbage, and the woman went in the middle of the garbage and pick up her bottle after they spoke to her, and they harassed her still; but nobody don’t see when they dumping all this garbage here at nights, and that’s the real issue here,” the woman argued.

Another man who spoke with this newspaper said City Council failed to carry out its mandate given by the people. He believes that if stricter penalties were in place from the beginning, the situation would not have degenerated to what it is now.

“They are supposed to take more actions, so that when somebody does litter, penalties are in place; because everybody doing as they like, and nobody cares about the health of anybody in those areas where they dumping,” the man said.

Several parts of the city have over time become dumping places for businesses that refuse to play their part in maintaining the cleanliness of the city.

The Monitoring Unit is one of the many initiatives established to deal with the current garbage crisis in Region 4.