Government is in the process of mapping out a major recycling programme.
Speaking ahead of a tour of the Fairchild Street public market on Monday, Minister of Environment and National Beautification Trevor Prescod did not give details, but revealed that his ministry was working on a public-private sector partnership in this regard.
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Trevor Prescod[/caption]
Currently, Barbados is said to produce in excess of 1,100 tonnes of waste per day, with funding to the state-run Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) averaging $50 million per year.
In view of this, Prescod said a “professional assessment from the technical staff in the ministry” would first have to be done.
However, he disclosed that he had already met with two recycling companies - Scrap Man Recycling and Sustainable Barbados Recycling Centre Inc - both of which indicated a willingness to expand their operations.
“Obviously if we begin to deliver it the way we are to deliver it [they have] to upgrade the level of the staff . . . . They are now saying they are going to expand,” Prescod said on the Down to Brass Tacks radio show on the Starcom Network.
“We are ready to work in collaboration to address these issues. The ministry is very energetic. It is moving,” he added, as he lauded the SSA staff for their hard work.
Prescod, whose Barbados Labour Party (BLP) came to power following the May 24 general election, pointed out that as part of the BLP’s plan for the country, there would be a national clean up campaign, which would include the removal of derelict vehicles.
However, he acknowledged that Government was grappling with resource and other constraints.
“We had to continue the struggle with the south coast sewage plant. We then had a fire at Mangrove,” he said.
“Of course we have the personnel and we have a Government with the capability now going forward, but the reality that we have to face is the financial constraints,” he said. (MM)
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