$2M invested in E-Bikes to monitor Georgetown garbage collection
November 12 2026
The government has invested close to $2 million in electric bikes to strengthen monitoring of garbage collection contractors across Georgetown, as authorities move to improve sanitation and waste management in the capital.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand disclosed the investment during a media conference on Thursday, explaining that the bikes will be used by community service officers to monitor collection activities and ensure contractors fulfil their obligations.
The initiative forms part of a wider effort to improve accountability in the delivery of garbage collection services, while the ministry is also stepping up its bulky waste removal programme in collaboration with the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC).
The bulky waste programme was reinstated approximately one month ago and has engaged 15 contractors in each constituency, with additional contractors assigned to larger constituencies.
The programme, which is expected to cost approximately $78 million annually, is intended to remove accumulated bulky waste from communities, including areas where such waste has remained for several years.
Manickchand said improving garbage collection requires greater accountability and better management of existing resources, particularly to ensure that contractors provide the services for which they are paid.
She noted that the M&CC currently spends approximately $500 million annually on garbage collection, arguing that the challenges are not necessarily due to insufficient funding, but rather the need for proper management and enforcement of contractual obligations.
Meanwhile, the ministry is in the final stages of preparing a draft National Solid Waste Management Bill, together with a five-year action plan to guide the country’s approach to solid waste management.
According to Manickchand, the proposed legislation is expected to address enforcement gaps, including clearly identifying the authorities responsible for processing and prosecuting offences related to improper waste disposal.
While the current initiatives are concentrated in Georgetown, the minister said the ministry intends to develop a waste collection and disposal model that can eventually be adapted for use in other municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).
