The
National Assembly member of Old Yundum constituency, Abdoulie Ceesay said he is
willing to negotiate with the community of Old Yundum for a possible transfer
of the village’s market to Brikama Area Council (BAC).
In
a recent interview with this reporter following a visit made by the National
Assembly select committee on environment at the community’s market, including a
dumpsite near Old Yundum Upper and Lower Basic School, Mr Ceesay said he is
willing to lead the negotiation for the transfer.
The
dumpsite in the area is alleged to have caused a week disruption of normal
school classes of over 4,000 children in both the community’s Upper and Lower
Basic Schools due to the discharge of bad odor and smoke from the garbage near
the school fence.
Mr
Ceesay said the Old Yundum market, which is demarcated, owned and currently
managed by the people of the community while collecting rates and fees of every
stall on their own without putting any proper waste management and collection
process, has led to the creation of indiscriminate waste dumping at every
corner of the village and near the school’s fence.
He
said the heads of the community, including the Alkalo, the VDC and the village
market committee will be met to discuss possible ways to hand over the
village’s marker to the Brikama Area Council in order to have a proper
administration in collecting waste materials produce by vendors at the market.
Mr
Ceesay also observed that waste management cannot be done completely by a
particular community without the involvement of its Area Council.
“What
I wanted to see is the total handover of the community’s market to the Brikama
Area Council in order for us to have a proper management of waste collected
from the market. The council is not taking any position to manage waste problem
at Old Yundum market because it is not under the control of the area council.”
