Sanitation and Waste Management Programme for 2021 - Satrohan Nauth
MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADDRESSING SANITATION AND WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ITS PROGRAMME FOR 2021 The sanitation sector in Guyana faces innumerable problems that require the intervention of the Central Government being the pillar of change. This intervention is paramount as Local Democratic Organs (LDOs) are challenged to effectively manage the waste within their respective locality. In keeping with the Government’s manifesto, Low Carbon Development Strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals; the
Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (MLGRD) has placed integrated sustainable sanitation management as a priority for the year 2021 and beyond, driven by a mandate which seeks to “strengthen the solid waste management programme at the local level to deliver timely collection and appropriate disposal of garbage”. The Ministry received its largest budgetary allocation of approximately $1.2B for the sanitation sector in Guyana for 2021 with the aim to move from waste management to resource management as part of the circular economy. Within the next five years, the Ministry intends to be a significant contributor towards sustainable development and climate change mitigation.
THE DIAGRAM BELOW SUMMARIZES THE MAJOR AREAS OF FOCUS BY THE MLGRD FOR 2021.
The need to further strengthen national policy, strategy, operational frameworks and institutional capabilities for the development of the sanitation sector is recognized as the LDOs continue to face major challenges in ensuring access to waste collection services, eliminating uncontrolled disposal and burning of waste. As a result, the Ministry is now giving more attention to both the physical components i.e, collection, recycling and disposal; and governance aspects i.e, inclusivity, financial sustainability, and sound institutions and proactive policies. The MLGRD will devise and implement innovative and effective policies as well as practices to promote the reducing, reusing and recycling (3R) initiatives and stem the relentless
in Guyana.
increase in waste per capita as the economy continues to grow rapidly. The Ministry intends to strengthen human and institutional capacity through the launching of our modern legislative and policy framework for solid waste management. A draft of the Solid Waste Management Bill is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Legal Affairs in collaboration with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will have public consultations moving ahead, before finalization. When enacted, the implementation of this legislation will see the formation of a Solid Waste Management Authority/ Commission to oversee the management of solid waste
Furthermore, the MLGRD in collaboration with all stakeholders will formulate the country’s first sanitation sector plan that will provide strategic directions for the Ministry along with the LDOs to effectively improve the performance and management of the sector. In addition, every administrative region should have a waste management plan that allows access to a roadmap that outlines the management of solid waste in the respective regions. Therefore, the Ministry will be developing waste management plans for regions 2 & 3 this year. In addition further works to be done in the regions include temporary waste disposal sites, pre-investment studies and designs of waste management facilities. GREEN GUYANA - ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
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