Latest update January 22nd, 2025 3:40 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Hamilton Green asks; why is age a problem?

Mar 29, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
After reading a letter by one Mark Roopan in Kaieteur News of Sunday, March 27, 2016 titled: ”Hamilton Green is like the Moon – day break will come;” I felt a sense of pity and sadness for Mark, but since it was a tissue of hearsayings, sheer Piddle Piftle and Patronage to the previous Housing administration, let it be known that I forgive him for his lack of appreciation of reality.
Set aside his obsession about age – a total non sequitur, based on his presumed knowledge of the workings of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, he ought to know that all efforts  made by the elected Mayor were frustrated by every Minister of Local Government.
Some facts: – he talked about the Engineer’s Department.
a). Shortly after taking office, I had commissioned an examination done by Mr. Charles A. Liburd AA, IICE. This Commission of Inquiry was completed and recommendations related to the City Engineer’s Department were submitted. No Ministerial support.
b). An exhaustive report prepared by Proffessor Akbar Khan – “The Greater Georgetown Development Plan Planning Scheme 2001 -1010” was submitted to Cabinet after a Symposium held on Monday, June 18, 2001.
The plan included recommendations for policy changes; proposals to deal with congestion in the City, vending, bus parking, cul-de-sacs etc.
Of interest, the then Government ignoring the recommendations for the development of the City sold (sic) lands in the city identified for public use to their friends and blue eyed boys.
The above required certain legal changes to be done by the Parliament. Try as we did – No Ministerial action.
C). When we proposed that all new developers in the Central Business District of Georgetown provide on-site or nearby, parking, the Cabinet led by Jagdeo said this would be a disincentive to businesses, hence, the confusion in the City. It took us sixteen (16) years for the PPP government to agree to increase fines for Municipal offences.
d). Beyond these, we had the Sandra Jones Association report intended to retool the Municipality. No Ministerial support
e). We in similar vein had the Lynch and the Burrowes reports – same story.
But now Mr. Roopan assaults the Housing Sector.
All the new Board at Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is seeking to do is to bring some order out of confusion and the woeful waste of taxpayers’ money. Worse, we seek to arrest this scandalous rape of our land by a new breed of greedy capitalist spawned by the previous government.
The writer refers to the halt we have put on those turn-key houses. These houses are riddled with many faults and the daily loss or disappearance of materials. Putting citizens to live with incomplete infrastructure – no proper drainage – roads paid for but not properly built.
The list is long but the board consisting of true patriots will change all of this.
Yes Mr. Roopan the day of truth is catching up with the Moon at CH&PA. I did not surrender to the likes of President Jagdeo, Ramotar. Ministers Harry-Persaud Nokta, Clinton Collymore, Kellawan Lall and Norman Whittaker who while holding support for the City wished for a health crisis to descend on Georgetown, not to mention the imposition of an unqualified officer who was anything but sober.
Let the writer be assured that with the support of an excellent Board, the Honourable Minister Ronald Bulkan and our President, we will turn the housing sector around from being a haven for corruption and exploitation, giving over lands on which our ancestors shed their sweat, blood and tears on, to a few exploiters and aliens, but instead we will ensure that the main beneficiaries are the descendants of those slaves and Indentures Labourers to whom we are committed to offer a better life.
It will not be easy cleaning up the mess in the housing sector but it will be done by diligence and prayers.
Hamilton Green, JP. OR.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 20th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

COME MAKE YOUR CASE: CWI president Shallow urges BCA, GCB to use special meeting to voice concerns as decision on governance reform inevitable

COME MAKE YOUR CASE: CWI president Shallow urges BCA, GCB to use...

Jan 22, 2025

SportsMax – Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Dr. Kishore Shallow has emphasized that a special meeting scheduled for next month represents a critical opportunity for the Barbados Cricket...
Read More
CANOC President calls for Caribbean boxing officials to ‘take action’

CANOC President calls for Caribbean boxing...

Jan 22, 2025

New West Cricket Club of Canada to tour Guyana for three matches

New West Cricket Club of Canada to tour Guyana...

Jan 22, 2025

Chung cops Gold as National Indoor Recurve Archery Open 

Chung cops Gold as National Indoor Recurve...

Jan 22, 2025

Guyana Junior hockey teams to contest PAHF Jr Challenge in Barbados

Guyana Junior hockey teams to contest PAHF Jr...

Jan 22, 2025

Play in the BCB/Dr Amarnauth Dukhi U15 One-Day two innings Inter club competition continues

Play in the BCB/Dr Amarnauth Dukhi U15 One-Day...

Jan 22, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]