Earlier this month, we suggested that growing opposition to Public Services’ £90m.-plus waste solution meant that the department would be well advised to have a plan B up its sleeve.
Following a breakfast presentation to members of the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce yesterday, it emerged that there is no alternative: it’s plan A or bust.
The reason is twofold. No contractor would be interested in working with the States if it believed there was less than 100% commitment to a given proposal and, equally importantly, PSD is confident it has the best possible set of proposals to meet successive States decisions and requirements.
Those objecting to the PSD’s recommendations will disagree, of course, arguing that there are cheaper, smaller and greener ways of disposing of the island’s waste. What those might be should emerge next week when the objectors reveal their ‘Rational Alternative’ plans.
Until they do, Chamber members were yesterday impressed by the fully integrated and packaged solution from French-based multinational Suez Environnement, which puts all the necessary provable technology from recycling to ash handling under one roof.
The presentation, drawing on expertise from Suez’s chef de project, PSD’s project director and the department’s UK consultants, Ramboll, highlighted how much planning and thought has gone into the favoured solution and how it is clearly a joined-up approach to an island problem.
Is it expensive? Certainly, but EU regulations mean that it is now a seller’s market and the tender process showed Suez as the clear favourite on design, the solution itself and cost.
As a one-stop way of dealing with Guernsey’s refuse, there is no credible alternative currently in prospect that meets the criteria of security of taxpayers’ money, longevity and with a demonstrable ability to do the job required.
Are there other ways of doing the same thing? Certainly, but PSD has not been able to find anyone – despite exhaustive searches – prepared to do that in an integrated, risk-free manner.
The department’s opponents will have to make a compelling, verifiable case for its Rational Alternative to persuade the States to abandon Suez’s solution at this late stage.
Suez waste plan will be hard to beat
Earlier this month, we suggested that growing opposition to Public Services’ £90m.-plus waste solution meant that the department would be well advised to have a plan B up its sleeve.
Following a breakfast presentation to members of the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce yesterday, it emerged that there is no alternative: it’s plan A or bust.
The reason is twofold. No contractor would be interested in working with the States if it believed there was less than 100% commitment to a given proposal and, equally importantly, PSD is confident it has the best possible set of proposals to meet successive States decisions and requirements.
Those objecting to the PSD’s recommendations will disagree, of course, arguing that there are cheaper, smaller and greener ways of disposing of the island’s waste. What those might be should emerge next week when the objectors reveal their ‘Rational Alternative’ plans.
Until they do, Chamber members were yesterday impressed by the fully integrated and packaged solution from French-based multinational Suez Environnement, which puts all the necessary provable technology from recycling to ash handling under one roof.
The presentation, drawing on expertise from Suez’s chef de project, PSD’s project director and the department’s UK consultants, Ramboll, highlighted how much planning and thought has gone into the favoured solution and how it is clearly a joined-up approach to an island problem.
Is it expensive? Certainly, but EU regulations mean that it is now a seller’s market and the tender process showed Suez as the clear favourite on design, the solution itself and cost.
As a one-stop way of dealing with Guernsey’s refuse, there is no credible alternative currently in prospect that meets the criteria of security of taxpayers’ money, longevity and with a demonstrable ability to do the job required.
Are there other ways of doing the same thing? Certainly, but PSD has not been able to find anyone – despite exhaustive searches – prepared to do that in an integrated, risk-free manner.
The department’s opponents will have to make a compelling, verifiable case for its Rational Alternative to persuade the States to abandon Suez’s solution at this late stage.
Article posted on 8th July, 2009 - 4.37pm