fp Turks and Caicos

The new nationwide state of the art waste management system approved in May by the Consultative Forum is on hold while the government tries to figure out how to pay for it.

Tim Hodge, managing director of Turks and Caicos Environmental Management, told the fp that his company is working with the government to find a solution that will get the project up and running as quickly as possible.

“We understand the financial challenges the government is currently facing, and we are hopeful a solution can be put in place that will allow us to get up and running soon as possible,” he said.

Hodge explained that the company is ready to get started as soon as it receives the green light from the government once all the necessary processes have been put into place regarding legislation and funding. A major stumbling block appears to be the financial struggles the government continues to experience. The government got a loan from the U.K. in July to help cover basic costs such as government salaries.

During its meeting last week, the Advisory Council met with Permanent Secretary of Health Judith Campbell and Adviser Ole Kragh for an update on the solid waste management project.

According to a government press release, the council discussed different cost recovery options and invited the ministry to work up firm proposals, consulting with other ministries, the Attorney General’s Chambers and other stakeholders. The council stressed the importance of getting the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Programme underway as soon as possible.

In May the Consultative Forum gave its seal of approval for the proposal to go ahead with the contract which was awarded in 2008 to TCEM to manage the country’s solid waste.

At the May Consultative Forum meeting, Permanent Secretary of Finance Delton Jones presented the forum with suggestions for how the program could be funded. One idea is a mandatory monthly residential collection and disposal fee of $20-30 per household and a disposal fee starting at $125 for local businesses.

He also suggested a potential new environmental levy or as a fee which could be attached to current utilities, but most likely a combination will prove to be most feasible. Jones said the government was looking to make the application of the costs as fair as possible, investigating ways those who use the most waste would pay the highest user fees.

It is that investigation process that seems to be holding up the project.

“Without a guaranteed source of income, it would not be prudent for the government to enter into contractual obligations for the new solid waste system,” Jones said in May.

Without that income, the current situation will remain the same — the unsightly dump, the burning of waste, environmental hazards and major delays in local refuse pick up, he said.