Dear Editor,
I am very perturbed about the management of the City of Georgetown and wonder when it will return to the state of being the Garden City. Recently the city constabulary embarked on an exercise to stop littering, and some were even charged for dropping a cigarette butt on the road. It is indeed good to have the by-laws of the city adhered to, but the council must ensure that they have receptacles in place for citizens to dispose of their waste.
Further, City Hall cannot be preaching one thing and practising something else. How can they be charging persons for littering and they themselves are guilty of the same thing? I make reference to the dumping of grass on the northern pavements in Regent Street between Orange Walk and Bourda Street. (See picture.)
Editor, this grass has been on the pavement for close to two weeks and it was placed there by workers of the Mayor and City Council. Even as I pen this letter the grass still remains there and is blocking pedestrians from using same. Added to this it is an eyesore to citizens and moreso visitors who use Regent Street on a daily basis. I am not sure what their modus operandi is when they clean the city and charge persons for littering, but leave grass on the pavement for over a week.
Editor, the people of Georgetown long for the return of the Garden City, but those involved in governing the city, from central government to local government, seem to have no idea how to maintain and manage Georgetown. Why must we continue to live under such conditions? The time must come when the citizens should say enough is enough and those in charge make it right or pack up and go home. For too long we have been made to suffer with no immediate solution to the problems, and with all the taxpayers‘ monies being used to have investigations done and plans and programmes drafted but not implemented, it seems as though we are still at square one.
Editor, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana but sometimes when I look at what goes on here and the condition it is in, I ask myself, are not the President, Cabinet and those responsible for the city ashamed to be working in it and moreover have their friends and foreign dignitaries pass through it?
I operate a business in Orange Walk and along with other businessmen and women operating in this area we have been making every effort to maintain a clean and healthy environment where we obtain our livelihood, as well as for the sake of our customers. However, we are disappointed by the actions of the Mayor and City Council, and while we have been playing our part and are willing to continue doing same we would like to see a more proactive approach by those attached to the council. It is time Georgetown returns to its beautiful state, but the city council must stop preaching one thing and practising something else.
Yours faithfully,
Orin Mitchell
