Public Utilities Minister Ancil Antoine is set to visit the Beetham landfill on Tuesday so he can get a first-hand look at the working conditions.
Confirming he had accepted the invitation from the Industrial General and Sanitation Workers Union (IGSWU), Antoine said he had visited the landfill before, but that this visit would be based on the union's recommended upgrades to the physical plant and premises.
Admitting the visit was in response to last week's action by protesting workers who downed tools to highlight the non-payment of arrears as well as the squalid working conditions, Antoine promised he would do what he could to ease the plight of the workers.
Two offers have since been extended to the workers by the Government for the payment of outstanding arrears.
IGSWU president, Robert Benacia, yesterday said he would meet with the workers on Monday to get their feedback, as a planned meeting on Friday was cancelled due to the inclement weather.
Benacia described Friday's meeting with officials of the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) and the Solid Waste Management Co Ltd (SWMCOL) to discuss improvements at the Beetham Landfill as "positive."
Presenting a list of ten major concerns, Benacia said the most pressing were the lack of a pipe-borne water supply; non-functional toilets; animal infestation of the administrative building; and the mud/dust that occurs depending on the weather.
Claiming that the landfill has been neglected by successive governments for the past 35 years, Benacia said "plaster fixes" could no longer suffice as "major repairs and maintenance were now needed to ensure the plant is brought up to its maximum operating capacity."
Asked about the potential cost, Benacia estimated it could run into the millions as the work included paving the driveway and yard; building new service bays; providing modern equipment and protective clothing; a new administrative building; and proper facilities for the workers and drivers.
Benacia said, "If the Government is really serious about alleviating the hazardous working conditions for the workers and they want to do it right, a minimum of four or five million is needed to completely overhaul the Beetham landfill."
He said upgrade work also had to be carried out at the Gunapo and Forres Park landfills, and to a lesser extent in Tobago.
Revealing that SWMCOL was asked to furnish OSHA with documents proving they had requested assistance to address these issues over the years, Benacia said OSHA officials had also promised to conduct a site visit but that no date had yet been set.
Adding that it could cost the Government in excess of $100 million if they were to embrace modern waste management systems and turn the Beetham dump into a proper landfill, Benacia said they were heartened by the minister's response as their calls had finally been heeded.
Antoine unfazed
Meanwhile, Antoine said he is not fazed by calls of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union's Ancel Roget for him to be removed as minister.
Responding to claims by Roget during a picket protest by workers of the Electricity Commission (T&TEC) on Thursday that he was incompetent and supportive of corrupt practices at the state entity, Antoine said the question should be directed to head of the Government.
Dismissing claims that he was "aiding" the system of corruption at any state-owned utility company Antoine declared, "As a representative of the people elected by them to serve them, I am looking after the public purse and I am insisting on value for money for the taxpayers.
"It does not matter who the workers are, they must give value for money," he went on, rubbishing claims by Roget that he preferred contract labourers over permanent workers.
Pointing out that these were trying economic times globally, Antoine said given the downturn in the local market and his being called upon to approach Government for money to assist T&TEC, he was not overstepping boundaries by demanding that workers produce maximum output.
Antoine said if Roget was aware of anyone at any state entity involved in corrupt practices, he should take that information to the police.
Adding that he was in support of these persons being brought to justice, Antoine said he was aware of corruption at state entities and that since his tenure as minister, "all reports of corruption that have come to me have been passed to the Attorney General."
Pressed to elaborate on this, Antoine would only say, "A lot of reports have come to me in terms of corruption across all the utilities."
Organisations that fall under his portfolio include the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA); the T&T Electricity Commission (T&TEC); the Industrial General and Sanitation Workers Union (IGSWU); the T&T Postal Workers Union (TTPWU); the Estate Police Association (EPA); the National Maintenance, Training and Security Company Ltd (MTS); and the Community-based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (Cepep).