Thank you. I am informed that the plot of land situated at Martinière Road, Surinam, was initially vested under the Ministry of Local Government on 14 December 1988, and subsequently, allocated to the then District Council of Grand- Port/Savanne for the purpose of operating a waste disposal site. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, following the commissioning of the Mare Chicose sanitary landfill in 1997, the dumping site at Martinière Road was officially closed. Since then, it has been utilised solely as a temporary dump site for the collection and removal of post cyclonic green waste. This arrangement was made with the agreement of the Solid Waste Management

69 Division of the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, which is responsible for transporting post cyclonic waste from that temporary site to the landfill. In accordance with section 59 of the Local Government Act 2011, as subsequently amended – (1) The Permanent Secretary is mandated to formulate policies and strategies – (a) waste minimisation and resource recovery; and (b) storage, collection, conveyance and disposal of waste. (2) The Permanent Secretary in compliance with regulations established by the Minister is responsible for – (a) The operation and management of disposal sites and waste management facilities, and (b) Control of private operators in the field of waste management sector. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Local Government Act 2011 as subsequently amended, outlines in section 60 the responsibilities of local authorities with respect to waste management. Specifically, local authorities are required – “(a) implement programmes and put in place mechanisms for waste minimisation, storage, collection and conveyance of waste-to-waste disposal sites or waste management facilities; (b) ensure that waste is put in appropriate storage receptacles for collection; (c) arrange for the regular collection of waste in its jurisdiction area and transfer to disposal sites or waste management facilities, as appropriate.” Following the reallocation of Ministerial portfolio after the general elections of 2014, the responsibility of Solid Waste Management now falls under the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change. Consequently, it is the responsibility of the Ministry to develop and implement the necessary regulations for the effective operation and management of waste disposal sites in accordance with national policies and environmental standards. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is important to highlight that on 13 November 2024, an Annual Cyclone Preparedness Meeting was convened at the Solid waste Management Division of the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change. The

70 meeting was chaired by the Director the Solid waste Management Division and was attended by representatives from my Ministry, local authorities and contractors appointed by the Solid waste Management Division. The discussion focused on the following key issues – (i) The use of former dump sites for the reception and temporary storage of cyclonic waste following cyclonic events; (ii) The identification of new sites for temporary disposal of cyclonic waste, and (iii) The radiation and updating of contingency plan for the management of cyclonic waste. During the meeting, each local authority provided update on their respective temporary dump sites. The District Council of Savanne, in particular, reported that a plot of land at Martiniere Road has been identified as its temporary dumpsite. It was further agreed that this site will be utilised for the disposal of cyclonic waste in the event of a cyclone where substantial amount of green waste would likely be generated following its passage. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Chairperson has instructed that contractors of the transfer stations must accept normal waste whereas green waste is to be directed to temporary dumpsites. At these sites, contractors are responsible for cutting, shortening and processing the green waste before transporting it to their respective transfer stations. I have been informed that following the fire outbreak at the Mare Chicose landfill on 10 December 2024, the scavenging lorries of the District Council of Savanne were denied access to the landfill. Consequently, with the agreement of the Solid waste Management Division, household waste was temporarily deposited at Martiniere road to ensure continuity of waste disposal service. Upon the reopening of Mare Chicose landfill, all waste at Martiniere Road was completely removed. Furthermore, no dumping signs were installed at the site and access to Martiniere Road has been permanently restricted with boulders to prevent unauthorised dumping. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, unlike the previous administration, this Government is committed to action. We are deeply invested in environmental protection and are dedicated to implementing concrete measures to uphold this commitment. The Council has decided that henceforth, the site will be properly fenced to ensure effective management and environmental compliance.

71 Additionally, there are plans to develop a plant nursery and a composting facility on part of the land at Martiniere Road while the remaining area will continue to serve as a temporary dumpsite for the disposal of post cyclonic waste and the total cost of the project is estimated at approximately Rs30 million and the provisions for its execution will be included in the next financial proposal budget.

The hon. Third Member for Quartier Militaire and Moka! NLTA – VACANT POSTS