No longer business as usual for city violators – Green warns

Mayor Hamilton Green yesterday announced that there would be zero tolerance for violations of the city’s by-laws

“It will not be business as usual for persons who feel that they can mistreat Georgetown like they did for the past 23 years because we no longer have a ministry and a government that will tolerate the suffocation and the denigration of the capital,” Green told a news conference yesterday, shortly after he concluded a tour around the city.

Some of the areas which he visited included Subryan-ville, Campbellville, Kitty, South Ruimveldt and West Ruimveldt.

The Mayor said it was found that citizens from all sections of society are involved in the blatant disrespect of the city by their actions. “They just feel that they can just do as they care,” he added.

Among other things, it was found that citizens have extended their boundaries to occupy alleyways and reserves. In addition, many are still dumping garbage in reserves, which Green said contributes significantly to drains being clogged and floods.

“For me I am not interested in excuses from anyone,” Green declared, while he noted that he was greeted with an “ugly sight” in some places during his tour.

A walk around Bourda Market resulted in him almost fainting, he said, due to the stench from faeces and urine behind stalls in some sections of the market. That issue, Green said, will be dealt with by the Clerk of Markets.

Hamilton Green
Hamilton Green

Furthermore, the mayor related that he instructed the City Engineer Colvern Venture to deal with a canal in the area which has not been cleaned for a number of years and to remove vendors who were allowed to construct their stalls over the waterway, which is vital for drainage.

“We cannot afford with a next heavy rainfall for citizens to suffer this humiliation of flooding in their yard and road and I hope that the Town Clerk and his staff are up for this challenge,” Green emphasised, while he reiterated that he is not prepared to make any excuse to the President, Cabinet and people of Guyana for the sordid state of the city.

Green said it was made abundantly clear that anything that compromises the very fragile drainage system will be addressed, with no compromise whatsoever.

In addition, the Mayor noted that within 24 hours he was expecting a public notice to be erected to deal with derelict buildings, vehicles and equipment around the city.

The area behind the Botanical Gardens has been used as a dumpsite for some time but Green said this would be no more. “I gave instructions to the engineer, the Ministry of Works representative and the Solid Waste Director to erect a sign saying ‘no dumping’ and simultaneously to remove the skiffs which are there,” he added.

Green also said that he has asked the Chief Constable Andrew Foo in collaboration with the Commander of ‘A’ Division to establish a 24-hour watch, while the Ministry of Agriculture will also be contacted to ensure that the area is properly landscaped.

At the back of Section ‘K’ Campbellville, Green also said, it was found that a whole area was sequestered by a known businessman, who has placed an abandoned minibus there and has also been disposing waste into a canal there.

During the tour, the Mayor also used the opportunity to meet with residents and sought their help in his effort to restore the city to its former glory. The Mayor also said that he is hoping that all his officers understand the roles they have to play in the noble effort being taken to restore the city.

Green’s tour followed a walkabout by council officers last Friday.

The walk, which took place along Regent Street, had several objectives, including critical conversations with stakeholders, including members of the business community, encouraging the interaction between stakeholders and senior council officers.

Town Clerk Royston King noted that the walk allowed council officers to share a firsthand look at the scope of challenges the council currently faces. According to the Town Clerk, one such challenge is the drainage system in the Bourda and Lacytown wards. “It is really horrible. However, we are moving to have a major de-silting exercise in the Bourda and Lacytown areas in the next two weeks,” King related.

Meanwhile, King also disclosed that on Thursday there will be a launching of the ‘Georgetown Green Volunteer Corps’ at 10am at City Hall. All non-governmental and religious organisations, businesses and members of civil society are invited, King said.

“The mandate and mission of the Council is to make Georgetown the cleanest, greenest city in the Caribbean and this must be achieved, regardless of the degree of difficulty,” King added, while noting that if all residents and businesses can be mobilised the mission will be accomplished.

Three main areas for attention, the Town Clerk said, are education and awareness, guidance and counselling, and practical work.

Through the Volunteer Corps, City Hall is hoping to encourage volunteers to help in meeting the needs of the city that the municipality might be unable to meet financially on its own, King said.

“This helps us to utilise skills and knowledge from local neighbourhoods and it makes human resources acceptable to us,” King asserted.

Another objective of the move is to get Georgetown ready for the 50th anniversary independence celebrations next year.