City clean-up campaign gains momentum

Jun 27, 2014 News

– Special priority given to community contractors/groups for employment

By Zena Henry
Community groups and contractors of the respective areas outlined to benefit from the

A flooded section of Le Repentir Cemetery.

government’s massive $500M city clean-up programme can expect special preference to be placed on the proposals they offer to clean up their environment.
Local Government officials directly involved in the programme told Kaieteur News during a drive-around yesterday, that they are seeking to have 50 to 70 percent of the workforce coming from the respective communities. It was noted that during consultations, residents expressed interest in being part of the ground team.
City Engineer Colvern Venture explained that in some communities, no special groups exist, but a great percentage of employment will be sought from the various neighbourhoods. Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker was adamant, however, that community groups will only be chosen once they are organized and genuine in their approach to the project.
“We want the people to buy into the project, to be part of implementation and sustainability. We want to talk to these groups to encourage an interest, because the consultation will bring out people of varying interest. Some are only interested in getting a job and getting some money, but there will be those who are interested in being part of repairing infrastructure and the environment.”
More important, he noted, was that those persons within the established groups would support the efforts of the Council and the government in maintaining the structures. A Local Government team which included, Town Clerk (ag) Carol Sooba, Minister Whittaker and several other government staffers sought to highlight to the public the extent of the rehabilitation work that is expected in the city.
The officials visited Le Repentir Cemetery and pointed out that from St. Stephen’s Street to Cemetery Road, both of which run north to south, and from Sussex Street to Princes Street, the facility would be upgraded, with much focus to be placed on the cemetery’s internal drains. The drains are currently clogged and facilitate the flooding of the burial ground. The cemetery’s internal roads which are taken over by dirt and weeds will also be upgraded and refaced, while major clearing will be done to remove years of undergrowth.

A female resident (with vest) engages the team at one of the bridges across the Sussex Street Canal.

It was noted by the Ministry’s technical team that cleaning the cemetery’s drains without clearing the heavily silted canals would prove useless, since the water will have nowhere to run off. In light of this, the technicians will focus heavily on clearling canals to ease flooding not only in the cemetery, but in nearby communities like Albouystown, which is prone to flooding with the slightest rainfall.
Minister Whittaker asserted that maintaining the upgraded cemetery is a major concern for the government. He said that after the work is completed, the government will hand it over to the Mayor and City Councillors for maintenance. He said that monitoring, in terms of maintenance, will also be an effort of the Ministry, and pointed to the Town Clerk (ag) for assurance that the Council will do what is necessary to maintain the upgrade. Some $100M out of the $500M slated for Georgetown will be used on the cemetery. Another $500M is on the line to address locations outside of the city. The Local Government Ministry has urged citizens to get involved in the efforts toward restoring the city.
During this year’s budget debate, the money was allocated for use. A Partnership for National Unity’s Volda Lawrence had put forward a motion which was passed in parliament to clean up Georgetown. The project never got off the ground, and now, the government posits the urgency with which ‘the Garden City’ needs to be restored.
As it stands, solid waste management (garbage collection) is poor, flooding is rampant, and inadequate maintenance of gutters, drains and canals exist. The M&CC has blamed the state of the city on political games and spite. It claims that the government continues to impose policies, withdraw funds, and interfere in the functioning of the Council, hence its failure to be effective.