G/Town Magistrates’ Court gets $180M facelift but sewage problem remains

Mar 20, 2014 News

Several weeks after it was reopened, persons venturing into the compound of the recently refurbished $180-million Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts are forced to endure an overwhelming stench of a nearby sewage spill.
The section which serves as an outpost for police officers and an accommodation for prisoners is most affected; quite often sewage can be seen flowing along the passage way near the outpost.

Sewerage overflows at a section of the recently refurbished G/Town Magistrates’ Court.

In spite of the condition, police officers can be regularly seen escorting prisoners to and from the holding cell, standing guard at the outpost or even partaking in meals.
“As soon as yuh reach de gate the smell does hit yuh. Is only de other day this court open back. I used to wuk here years ago and we had the same problem.
“I thought things woulda change. It is unhealthy because all kind ah people got to come here to do business, collect child support and all sort ah thing and de place always stink. It does mek yuh frighten fuh even use de washroom,” one woman noted, as she pointed to the affected area.
While the problem has continually affected workers and visitors alike, little is being done by the court’s administration to rectify the situation.
However, Georgetown Supreme Court Registrar (Ag), Rasheed Mohamed explained that the problem is due to a back up in the entire sewerage system.
“The overflow is mainly because the entire system needs to be revamped, from time to time. Persons would be paid to clear lines. However, this is not enough since the problem eases for a day or two and then it returns.”
Mohamed said that the problem is not only over at the Magistrates’ Court but sewage overflows can be seen quite often around the vicinity of the Georgetown Supreme Court.
The issue has been raised with the authorities, several times before.
“We have brought the matter to the attention of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). They had promised to look into it.”
Public Relations Officer of GWI, Timothy Austin, explained that the agency is currently working to rectify the sewerage situation. He explained that the Georgetown sewerage system is set to benefit from an ongoing sanitation improvement programme, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
According to Austin, an agreement had been signed between the Government of Guyana (GOG) and the IDB for US$10 M for the improvement of the Georgetown sewerage system’s operational performance.
Components of the programme include the complete replacement of the 5.5 kilometre sewerage ring main in Georgetown; replacement of all delivery mains; and purchase and installation of additional pumps for the 24 pumping stations to ensure adequate pressure and operational reliability.
“This is currently ongoing and a number of areas are earmarked for work to be done.” Austin explained, however, that the citizens have a responsibility to keep the sewerage system clean.
“We have received complaints about persons removing the chamber covers from the system and selling it as scrap metal and then others dump things like clothes, concrete blocks and bicycle parts into the system…
“Citizens can assist if they desist from dumping especially non -bio degradable objects into the waste system, making it difficult to maintain or function.”