Dear Editor,I experience a deep sense of sadness every time I walk around Georgetown. Beyond my sadness, I am angry and tired. I cannot imagine why our capital city must look this way. It seems that everywhere one turns there is garbage – in the trenches, on the sidewalks, on the streets – just everywhere. The problem is compounded too by the bush and old dilapidated buildings inserted here and there. Please can the relevant authorities not do anything – something to alleviate this problem? What about the law that was passed whereby fines would be imposed on persons caught littering? Is that still being implemented?
I tell you during Carifesta my embarrassment was acute every time I travelled anywhere around the city because for sure there were dirty gutters with garbage to be seen, or plastic bags and boxes piled indiscriminately at some location. Can we not restore this city to its former glory? (Truth be told I do not know about this ‘glory’ since I have always known the city to be a dirty place! I guess I have not lived long enough!)
Another thing that bothers me continuously is the touting system in the bus parks. I was very happy when I saw a headline in one of the dailies that there will be a crackdown on touts, but was a little disappointed to see that the plans were for the Stabroek Market area. Anyway, we have to start somewhere so I still appreciate that. I think it is a good move because touts really hassle people and make them uncomfortable. Some of them can even get downright abusive. I once saw several of them converge on a woman whom they harassed until her bag of groceries burst open and her oranges were all over the road. Turns out the woman was not even going where they supposed she was.
Please let us do something to make our city and country a better place.
Yours faithfully,
Marissa Carmichael
