fp Turks and Caicos

The pressing issue of garbage and conditions of the landfill were agenda number one when the Advisory Council met on March 23 in Grand Turk.

After a presentation on the challenges of solid waste management and the “deplorable state of the dump sites” in Providenciales and Grand Turk by Permanent Secretary of Health and Human Services Judith Campbell, Chief Environmental Health Officer Lorne Robinson and Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer Kenrick Neely, the Advisory Council directed that solutions must be found.

“Noting the present unsatisfactory state of waste collection and landfill management, especially in Providenciales where constant smoke from landfill fires was a particular cause for concern, council expressed a clear view that the management of waste disposal in TCI should be handled by those with the required expertise and resources,” stated a press release of the council’s meeting.

The council asked Department of Environment officials to ensure that waste disposal in all the islands is managed in a sustainable and efficient manner, with due regard to preservation of the environment.

Following the mandate, representatives of Turks and Caicos Environmental Management Ltd. presented their strategy for managing solid waste in the TCI.

TCEM was awarded a contract after tender process in 2007-08 to privatise the country’s solid waste management system. The comprehensive plan included optimization of collection as well as modernizing the landfill. Due to various government slow downs, the process was never implemented.

On a related matter, council also reported hearing a presentation from Bob Gottsegen on a recycling programme. The proposal, which would provide economic and environmental benefits for the TCI, called for a deposit on all beverage containers imported into the country; and subsequent refund to persons returning used containers; the establishment of redemption centres for the return of recyclable items; and the collection of compacted material by a recycler.

Paul Day, owner of Columbus Foods, gave a presentation on the operations of and challenges faced by his company, upon which council invited TCInvest to prepare recommendations on the issues raised by Day for its next meeting.

TCInvest Chief Executive Officer Conrad Higgs and Clayton Been updated the council on the status of a number of project proposals across the Turk and Caicos Islands.

Council discussed recommendations referred to the governor and council by the Consultative Forum. It requested the Attorney General’s Office to draft appropriate legislation to transfer to the National Trust a number of Heritage Sites referred to it by the forum.

The Attorney General presented a number of draft bills and directives to the council including:
Proceeds of Crime (amendment) Bill 2010
National Health Insurance (Appeals) Regulations 2010
National Health Insurance (Claims) Regulations 2010
National Health Insurance (Overseas Referral Process) Regulations 2010
National Health Insurance (amendment) Bill 2010
Private Investigators and Security Guards (Amendment Bill 2010
Private Investigators and Security Guards Regulations 2010
Control of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2010
Summary Offences (Amendment) bill 2010
The Aerodrome Security Charge (Validation) Bill 2010
The Aerodrome Use Fees (Validation) Bill 2010
The Passenger Tax (Validation) Bill 2010
The Passenger Tax (Amendment) Bill 2010
The Airports Authority (Amendment) Bill 2010
The Airports Authority (Airports Use Fees) Regulations 2010
The Airports Authority (Security Charge) Regulations 2010
The bills will be presented to the Consultative Forum at its next meeting.