Collecting outstanding debts is turning out to be as big a job for the Sanitation Service Authority as picking up garbage.
MIDWEEK NATION investigations have revealed that while the department is struggling daily to keep two dozen collection trucks on the road to service the entire island, it is having an even harder fight with some Government agencies and departments that owe hundreds of thousands of dollars.
According to a series of documents obtained by the MIDWEEK NATION, the biggest Government defaulter is the National Conservation Commission (NCC), which is responsible for the maintenance of national parks and recreational spots around the island. As recently as one month ago, invoices showed, the NCC was behind in payments to the SSA to the tune of $663 441.19.
Also owing a huge sum to the state garbage collection agency was Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. – $408 276.68 – the bulk of it for well over 90 days. Another major debtor to the SSA is the Psychiatric Hospital, which owes $46 800.95, followed by the School Meals Department with $41 303.76 and Barbados Tourism Authority with $30 827.70.
