Some contractors with the National Solid Waste Management Authority are reportedly angry and feeling threatened since the Cabinet announced its plans to engage the Barbados-based firm INNOTECH.
According to Thursday’s Cabinet Notes, the company made a video presentation to the Executive, in which it demonstrated its waste-management capabilities.
The recording reportedly showed garbage-disposal containers on wheels, as well as garbage trucks that had been retrofitted to lift these heavy containers.
“The containers each have a barcode/strip that, when scanned, provides the household location and the quantum of waste that the household generates each week,” the Notes say.
But speaking to REAL News on Friday morning, one angry man expressed his amazement at the Cabinet’s apparent embrace of INNOTECH: “Wait! Is rubbish and all they planning to take away from Antiguans?” he asks.
He points to the number of local operators who are now providing such services to National Solid Waste and alleges that they are already facing competition from trucks owned by Government Ministers.
“And on top of that, people have to wait for weeks and months to get paid,” he says – a complaint that was voiced by striking haulers earlier this year. “It’s millions they owe [certain operators],” he adds.
The man says it would be unconscionable if the Administration were to engage INNOTECH at a time like this, when so many local businesses still have not caught themselves after the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
And if the Government does hire the company, it is because members of the Cabinet have a vested interest in the contract, the man claims. “Nobody can tell me different!” he declares.
No mention of the tendering process was made in the Cabinet’s report.- REAL NEWS
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Check mount John hospital catering, goggard hint hint
Charity begins at home. This government cant pay local contractors, but can find money to pay a new company? Height of wickedness. They really take us for fools.
TOP DAWG Message to his colleagues is” Get what you can…get what you can get”
Govt. can quickly resolve this issue with the public.
Minister of Finance & Minister of Public Utilities, publish, with relevant dates, the invitation to tender, names of companies that responded, names of companies that were assessed & interviewed for both the underground leak detection AND the Solid Waste Disposal systems.
Within the tender documents, we the public, will immediately see the scope of works requested by our elected parliamentarians.
These documents should all be on hand and publication to the nation on Tuesday 6 September should be absolutely no problem for an honest government that needs to be ‘pellucid’ to quote immediate past ablp leader, Sir Lester Bird.
Further suggestion, from now on, ALL invitation to Tender & Scope documents must be published in newspapers & online media at least 8-weeks before tender bid closing date, and full list of companies that submitted tender response documents must be published with 3-days of tender bid closing date.
This will reduce the suspicion of self-enrichment and let we the people see the process of an accountable government in action.
This suggestion is for government; irrespective of their political persuasion.
Comment of the day @ Stay Alert … 👏
Can some one confirm if this is a “REAL NEWS” production since the intro certainly reads that way.
Does it matter where it came from and whose production it is? Why shouldn’t local waste management workers be concerned? They can’t get what they are owed by this wicked government. Provided the issues are REAL and affect people’s livelihood who cares about the source?
@Just Saying
What you care whether Real News or not. Antiguans are talking about not being paid and loosing their livelihood.
so you telling me, antigua doesn’t have enough men here with plans and others who already in the system and like what they do that they need to bring in others to slowly kick others out? and yall tryna tell me this party really want ppl to vote for them again? anybody who agrees with this and want this has no love or care for the locals and should be regarded as a bunch of garrats
Did many of these contractors vote for the ABLP? Well you got what you voted for.
GASTON BROWNE NA LUB YOU
The people in this government like to deal with foreigners so they can get a kickback. They don’t care about country and Antiguans once they can line their own pockets. This is what Antiguans voted for so tech um.
Like my mom used to say, you have made your bed. Now lay your ass in dey
Look like World Economic Forum want to turn Barbados into the capital of the Caribbean
Government needs to stop competing against it’s own citizens. This is unfair competition and should be illegal.
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