By Ayman Amzein.
Tripoli, 9 March 2015:
The Beida-based Ministry of Local Government has promised to provide LD 9 million for back pay for Benghazi’s . . .[restrict]striking garbage collectors.
The garbage collectors went on strike early last week over non-payment of salaries. They say they have not been paid for more than six months. They have also complained that the work has become risky. One worker is reported to have recently discovered a bomb inside a trash can.
The ministry responded after a strike led to a toxic build-up of garbage in the streets. Residents complained of a possible rodent infestation and the spread of disease. There was concern, too, that the burning of trash in public spaces would become widespread, polluting the air.
In the absence of the garbage cleaners volunteers including the Red Crescent, boy scouts and local residents have have been trying to deal with the mounting piles of rubbish in the streets and in open areas. At present, it is still being left to them to try and keep Benghazi clean.
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