Municipal officials yesterday delayed issuing a decision on whether to allow a waste collection company to expand its operations in the capital.

Seng Savy, director of refuse-removal firm Cintri, is seeking to expand into 20 new communes in Phnom Penh, which before redistricting in 2010 were part of Kandal province.

“We sent a letter to city hall asking whether or not our company could provide services to the 20 new communes in Phnom Penh,” he said.

The city’s deputy governor, Chan Sam An, said officials were reluctant to approve Cintri’s request due to its poor performance record.

“Cintri is supposed to cover 76 communes, but they do not cover the area 100 per cent, so how will they do it they have an additional 20 communes to cover? That is our worry,” Chan Sam An said.

Seng Savy defended his company, saying that Cintri had performed better than the other six waste management companies, which had gone bankrupt.