Fed up with mess: Northern Governorate residents frustrated by ongoing garbage bag dispenser issues

TDT | Manama
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Residents of the Northern Governorate are expressing growing frustration over the persistent malfunctioning and frequent emptiness of automated garbage bag dispensers, leading to significant inconvenience and contributing to increased street litter.

Abdullah Al Qubaisi, a member of the Northern Governorate Municipal Council representing the 9th constituency, has sharply criticised the lack of action from municipal authorities. He highlighted the widespread problem, citing examples of malfunctioning dispensers at Riffa Mall and the Sater Commercial Centre.

Out of order
Al Qubaisi noted that while some machines contain bags, they are often out of order. He further pointed out the failure to implement a ministerial decision from three months ago to open distribution centres in the areas of 17th Roundabout of Hamad Town and Al Budaiya, while closing the centre in A’ali.

“The majority of dispensing machines in the Northern Governorate are faulty,” Al Qubaisi stated, adding to The Daily Tribune: “The lack of readily available garbage bags is causing significant problems for residents, forcing them to make multiple trips to access the machines, often without success.”

Complaints
An automated garbage bag dispenser is out of service. He cited numerous complaints from citizens and residents who had made four or more unsuccessful attempts to obtain bags from various locations. This significant time wastage, he contended, was a direct result of negligence.

Al Qubaisi called for the immediate reopening of distribution centres in the Northern Governorate, mirroring the services available in the Southern Governorate, Muharraq Governorate, and the Capital Governorate. He also advocated for an increase in the number of dispensers across the Northern Governorate to ensure equitable access for all residents.

‘Unfair and detrimental’
“The current situation is unfair and detrimental to citizens,” he stressed. “The Ministry of Municipalities Affairs has to adopt a new strategy to guarantee citizens’ access to garbage bags. Those responsible for maintaining and refilling the machines have to be held accountable for this problem,” the councillor stated, accusing them of neglecting their duties.

“There is a need for immediate action and a long-term solution to prevent this issue from becoming a recurring annual problem,” he concluded.