Mare-Chicose: Minister Rajesh Bhagwan and Former Junior Minister Joanna Bérenger Clash
The Mare-Chicose waste disposal center experienced an interruption in operations on Friday morning due to a dispute between the contractor and truck drivers. This situation disrupted the waste disposal process, especially since this site is the only facility of its kind in the country.
Environment Minister Rajesh Bhagwan stated that an initial meeting was held between the operator and ministry officials to resolve the situation. He then met with the truck drivers' representatives. Following the discussions, the operator committed to paying the truck drivers, who subsequently decided to end their strike, allowing operations to resume normally. The minister described the exchange as "very positive" and praised the "common sense" of all parties involved.
Rajesh Bhagwan also responded to criticisms made by Joanna Bérenger, the former junior minister for the environment. He reminded her that the Mare-Chicose issue was inherited from the previous government, as the contract was awarded before the change in majority. He noted that he had met several times with the operator and the former junior minister due to shortcomings in contract execution.
The minister indicated that he presented a report to the Cabinet at the end of last year detailing the proposed actions. He also emphasized the ongoing oversight by a consultant, whose recommendations have allegedly been communicated to the contractor for implementation. Rajesh Bhagwan stated that he informed the Cabinet again about the situation on Friday and announced that he would soon submit recommendations to them.
On her part, Joanna Bérenger argued that the difficulties faced at Mare-Chicose were predictable, recalling a similar issue that occurred a few weeks ago. She criticized the "passivity regarding the contractor's shortcomings observed for over a year". She also questioned the timelines for implementing the recommendations made by the government-appointed consultant for site oversight. "In the interest of the environment, I hope the minister will start to lead rather than follow, to impose sanctions rather than tolerate issues, and to anticipate rather than react. If this is not done, it is the environment that will suffer the consequences. When leachate accumulates and overflows, it is the environment that gets damaged," Joanna Bérenger stated.
