00:00Commercial operators in Port of Spain, in particular those in the food and beverage sector, may soon have to foot
00:07the cost of their waste collection as the city corporation continues to grapple with limited resources.
00:13On those main thoroughfares, those businesses that are generating large amounts of waste, whether they be a restaurant, a bar,
00:22a lounge, any of those types of businesses, we'll be engaging them directly so that we can change the arrangements
00:30and modernize the arrangements.
00:32I might be jumping, but have you gotten any feedback from the stakeholders in these thoroughfares?
00:37Yeah, well, in the consultations that we've had, they are prepared to engage.
00:42They recognize that they're putting out a significant amount of waste and that they're putting out an amount of waste
00:49that on many occasions is in excess of what the law allows and what our public health bylaws allow.
00:55So that we're just at the point of completing this particular piece of reform and the residents and burgeses of
01:05the city should be able to see a significant improvement in our solid waste management arrangements in these particular areas.
01:12And one final question.
01:15In terms of the budgetary allocation, what is your thought?
01:21Do you think there will be a change if you have to give a hope, a wish?
01:25What is your thoughts?
01:27I expect that there will be a change.
01:30I don't think that the minister of local government wants this level of attention on the city of Port of
01:39Spain's budget again.
01:41It's been a difficult last year.
01:44I've had calls to engage the media on several occasions.
01:48The population is very clear in their mind, I believe, that the city of Port of Spain has been victimized.
01:54And I don't think that that is the legacy that the minister wishes to leave.
01:57So I expect that we will see some improvement.
02:00I know that you all haven't gotten any funds yet because the budget hasn't been read.
02:04But would the city be doing anything in conjunction with the debt of Sparrow?
02:10Yeah, that is something that the caucus is due to meet and discuss.
02:15Because as you know, first, he's a son of the soil.
02:18He was a resident and part of the lifeblood of the city for several decades.
02:23There's a statue of Sparrow just on the border of the city right at the St. Tans roundabout.
02:29So that he is really a hero of us in Port of Spain.
02:34And at the appropriate time, we will participate in honoring him accordingly.
02:48The mayor adds improper waste to disposal is also contributing to public health issues in the city.
02:55And it's the kind of waste that, one, if it's oil or grease, it gets into the underground drain, it
03:01blocks the drain and it contributes to flooding.
03:04If it's food waste, it's a source of food for vermin, whether it's rats or cockroaches or what have you.
03:13And so there is a public health and a disaster impact that this kind of activity has.
03:23Mayor Alain says the relevant stakeholders are on board with the process.
03:27They are prepared to engage.
03:29They recognize that they're putting out a significant amount of waste and that they're putting out an amount of waste
03:36that on many occasions is in excess of what the law allows and what our public health bylaws allow.
03:42So that we're just at the point of completing this particular piece of reform
03:48and the residents and burgesses of the city should be able to see a significant improvement
03:55in our solid waste management arrangements in these particular areas.
04:00Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
