AS the Mayor and City Council claims it is faced with very serious financial challenges, the piling up of garbage is becoming an eyesore in Georgetown as a result of the withdrawal of services by contractors take effect.

At a meeting which was held yesterday to discuss the situation, Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green apologised to workers because of its inability to pay broaden revenue base.

Among those present at the meeting were the President of the Guyana Local Government Officers Union (GLGOU), Andrew Garnett, Secretary for the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), Carvil Duncan among other senior union representatives.

The Mayor at the meeting put forward initiatives to broaden revenue base which includes environmental and container tax.

He also revealed that they are awaiting a response from the Central Government in order to advance the process.

Meanwhile, Garnett has endorsed the need for new revenue earning measures in a collective effort to broaden the council’s base.

In addition, Duncan also made comments on the need for stronger administration and financial management.

Town Clerk, Beulah Williams who was also present at the meeting urged workers to be patient and informed that the treasurer was working towards paying salary on Thursday and that payment could not be made possible before that specified time.

Furthermore, workers who were present at the meeting expressed disgust as they have not been paid their wages and salaries for the month of October 2007.

This newspaper also spoke with the Managing Director of Puran Bros, Mr. Lakenauth Puran who said they have suspended garbage collection basically because of non-payment.

Mr. Puran added that they have sent in their fourth suspension letter to the Council because they started experiencing difficulties for the past five months and have also requested substantial payment. “In a letter that was issued to the Council last Tuesday, we requested a total sum of $10 M before we can resume work,” he said.

He added that a meeting was called where the Council offered $2M but according to him it is not adequate for the purpose of maintenance.

On the other hand, the Managing Director of the Nelson Mandela Avenue landfill site also expressed his dissatisfaction. “Payment has been outstanding since last year October and besides the Council is not paying its full monthly expenses. A reasonable sum of money remains outstanding. All my resources are exhausted, I can’t get anything more. As a result, I had to seize operations,” he proclaimed.

As a consequence of the Council’s financial predicament garbage contractors suspended operations from the City whereby they stopped all efforts to collect garbage in and around the city including the ‘skips’ which would have been placed along parapets.

As such, it has contributed towards the pile up of garbage in certain areas and the Council is advising home owners not to put out their receptacles for the usual clearance because the contractors would not be collecting garbage until further notice.