KMC-Green Seeds Proposed Cleansing Services Terminated

“The Canadian Consultancy Firm Gave False Impressions to the Council”-Says PRO

VVOL:1 ISSN:26 The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) has revealed the termination of the proposed joint cleansing service with Green Seeds Incorporated, a Canadian Waste Collection Consultancy Firm.

KMC reached a joint cleansing service agreement with the Canadian Company on 13th February, 2009 in which local residents within the municipality were supposed to be paying a reasonable amount for refuse collection.

The partnership resulted in the creation of a new company called Kanifing Integrated Waste Management Company, which was to take charge of waste collection, disposal and management within the KMC.

In an interview with The Voice Newspaper on Thursday 17th December, 2009, KMC’s Public Relation Officer confirmed that the partnership has been terminated based on the grounds that the Consultancy Firm has over stated its capacity to the Council.

“We found out that they do not have sufficient fund and man power to fulfill their part of the agreement,” Pa Kalifa Sanyang told our news editor at his office. He revealed that most of the information given to the Council by the Canadian Firm’s profile was false and on that basis and in the interest of the people of the Municipality, the Council decided to terminate the partnership.

However, a press release from the Council in February 2009 indicated that as part of the agreement, the Canadian Consultancy Firm was to provide an additional fleet of vehicles for effective waste collection while the Council was to give resources and complimentary man power for a period of five years, after which the entire service was to be handed over to the Council.

Asked why the public was not informed about the consequent developments from February to December, 2009, he said that they were in consultation with their legal adviser in order to make sure that their decision does not have any legal implication.

PRO Sanyang conceded that initially, the Council did not conduct adequate findings regarding the competence of the Canadian Consultancy firm, Green Seeds Incorporated.

“I should be honest to admit that enough research was not done,” he said, adding that their determination was to have the best of service and that was why they continued to find out whether the Company really has the capacity.

Notwithstanding, he said the Council is still looking for ways and means of securing what he called a productive public-private partnership in order to overcome the challenges they are faced with in refuse management.