CITCO will not renew B.W.C. garbage contract

With the long delayed construction of a new access road to the dump on the Western Highway it appeared that Belize City’s garbage problems were–if not solved–at least eased. But a recent decision by the Belize City Council suggests that there are more significant changes on the way.

Wayne Usher, Councillor, Sanitation
“Let us give the people what they are asking for. They are clamouring for a cleaner and safer, healthier Belize City. We promised that in our manifesto and we will deliver that.”

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
In a special caucus held last month, the Belize City Council decided not to renew its contract with Belize Waste Control Limited which expires on December fourth of this year. It is no secret that both parties have had a rocky working relationship, but according to Mayor Zenaida Moya there were other reasons why the council decided to take on the job itself.

Zenaida Moya, Belize City Mayor
“The current situation between the business community and the current contractor leaves much to be desired. The business community, I know myself and councillor Usher, we always have to be dealing with a lot of business persons who will come to us and say they are having a difficult time dealing with the contractor and they would prefer not to and so forth. So now we will be dealing directly with these individuals.”

“Dealing with the hotspots because we do not have control currently because we do not have the contract; it is outsourced. And so often times we would only be able to have the opportunity to call and hope that these individuals will go and deal with the hotspots.”

Mayor Moya says while one of their goals is to cut down on spending they will be able to meet whatever initial expenses are required to get the job done.

Zenaida Moya
“We have to ensure we have funds for this and clearly with the revenues that we collected we have been trying to put aside certain funds towards assisting with the payment of these equipment, these capital expenditures. And so yes, the council will be able to meet that part of that expense.”

Meanwhile Wayne Usher, the councillor in charge of sanitation services, says they have tried to improve the relationship with B.W.C.L. but to no avail.

Wayne Usher
“It is that bad that the situation got where they were disrespecting this council by not even showing up to a meeting that they have called and we were very disappointed that it had gone to that low. And so we decided, listen we cannot continue this anymore.”

Usher says the council will be saving some seven thousand dollars per week when the contract is closed.

Wayne Usher
“There are the job opportunities that will present itself once we take over and we won’t forget those people who are already working. We are prepared to take on workers from Belize Waste Control itself if they want to come and work with us.”

Both Moya and Usher say they continue to enjoy a very good working relationship with Sanitation Enterprises Limited and Belize Maintenance Limited.

Wayne Usher
“They are performing and I must say that we’ve had no problems since we renegotiated the contracts with them; we’ve had no problems in that area. As a matter of fact, we’ve also amended their contract a little bit to pick up what we call spoils, the mud and debris out of the drain.”

News Five contacted the manager of Belize Waste Control Limited, George Lamb, but he told us that he would need to read what was written in the Guardian newspaper on the matter and then he would return our call. Up to news time he had still not make contact.