Dear Editor,
In a letter which appeared in the Stabroek News on October 31st, Mr Hamilton Green (Hammy), a former Mayor of Georgetown and also Minister of Works and Hydraulics (W&H) under the PNC government, expressed his disgust and trepidation at the callous clogging of drainage channels in the city and its environs as well as the filthy condition of the esplanade/bandstand and seawall east of the Pegasus Hotel.
Hammy’s observations and comments on both these issues are to some extent evidently correct. However, a reflection of Hammy’s performance on both these issues during his tenures as Mayor of Georgetown and Minister of W&H under the PNC government needs closer scrutiny since he failed to perform as was expected of him but he is now, nevertheless, critical of the performance of others. Firstly, as the Minister of W&H, he should have known that the Sea Defence Board (SDB) is a statutory body responsible for the sea and river defences of Guyana. Its programmes and policy decisions are executed by the W&H ministry. This arrangement has not changed since his time as minister as there has not been any notice in the Official Gazette attesting otherwise.
Therefore, the city has no jurisdiction over the seawall on it northern border. However, if the seawall poses safety and other adverse environmental effects on its citizens, then the city has a right to bring them to the attention of SDB/W&H for appropriate action. Cleaning the foreshore/beach of flotsam and jetsam is not a responsibility of the SDB/W&H unless they pose a threat to the sea defence infrastructures.
Maintenance of the bandstand/ esplanade and seawall road is a responsibility of the city and Hammy knows this.
When Hammy was Mayor, Guyana Water Inc was discharging the sludge and waste water from its treatment plant located at Bel Air Park into the drainage channel west of Vlissengen Road and also in the channel south of Church Street, clogging them and causing the flooding of large areas of Queenstown when heavy rainfall occurs. Hammy visited the site with myself and others to inspect the problem but he never did anything to rectify it during his tenure although it is now convenient for him to blame others for the city’s poor drainage.
Georgetown and its environs will continue to experience yearly flooding as more of its drainage channels become clogged as a result of haphazard development, poor maintenance of the drainage system and bad management.
Finally, Hammy stated that he is a die-hard supporter of the president and the coalition. He should, since they provided him with a lucrative pension against the wishes of many Guyanese who continue to suffer from an indifferent government bent, not on governing to improve their welfare, but on showering its members with all the goodies they can rake in from the state and through other devious means as they are well aware that time is running out on them.
Yours faithfully,
Charles Sohan
