Garbage collection in the Distrito Nacional (DN, which comprises Santo Domingo and environs) has been decentralized, however city council members are wrangling over how many zones should be created. Santo Domingo,s Mayor, Johnny Ventura, and the block of PRD councilmembers, originally favored seven division. Now, however, reflecting what appears to be the preference of elements at the level of the national government, the PRD favors a four-region division. An inconclusive meeting yesterday among DN council members, technicians, and representatives of four garbage removal contractors, was unable to resolve the impasse. A PLD council member said that Mayor Ventura wants to continue "a monopoly by his preferred contractor. Nonetheless, Roberto Castillo Tio, the DN,s waste removal expert, held a news conference yesterday which was also attended by representatives of Proaseo, Urbaser, Madras and Tursa, the four contractors. "With the assignment of areas [of responsibility], Castillo Tio said, the community knows that a regulatory framework will demand quality and excellence in the management of urban waste removal. The seven-zone system – with each of the four contractors assigned to particular zones – has been in effect for the past ten days.
