Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 19, 2017 Letters
Dear Editor,
I hold no brief for the Town Clerk, King nor Mayor Green but in the interest of fairness and being a retiree (USA) from the toilet rental business, I feel I must comment to at least lend clarity to this now public debate on the monthly cost of $82,000 for portable toilets.
Kaieteur News implied in its Sunday 11 and Monday 12 June editions that by a simple Google search one would have seen a portable toilet could be purchased for US$450.00. In this business you get what you pay for and as such a toilet would be coming with extremely low specifications with very little amenities and would not stand up to the rigors of tough usage.
Secondly I think Kaieteur News should have been more discerning since a similar simple Google search for “cost to rent portable toilets” would reveal a daily cost of US$175.00 (G$37,625) to US$225.00 (G$48,375) and a monthly cost of US$395.00 (G$84,925) to US$795.00 (G$170,000) per month. Cost of toilet rental is not primarily determined by the cost of the toilet but the cost of the service. The cost of the service is determined by
a. The frequency of emptying the toilet since this is done by the use of highly specialized and very expensive to operate and maintain vacuum tanker pumper trucks which required a skilled driver, trained operators plus each time the toilet is emptied it has to be re-stocked with chemicals, fragrance, and other consumables
b. The level of service offered since some clients may require the physical presence of toilet attendants especially in situation of high usage and presence of children.
c. The Type of toilet being rented and level of amenities, for example, flushing, or non-flushing, soap dispensers, hand wash, sanitizers, etc.
d. The distance from base between the customer and the Toilet Rental Company
e. The number of units/toilets at the location
The only thing local about the toilet business is the truck driver and trained operators since every other item has to be imported. So in my professional opinion a monthly price of G$80,000/US$372.00 (VAT Inclusive) or G$70,000/US$325.00 before VAT could be fair dependent on the factors listed above.
Shurland Marks
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