Where is this Task Force to restore Guyana’s beauty?

Aug 26, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Before the appearance of an article published last Sunday of August 20, 2017, captioned, “restoration task force planning relocation of homeless from streets” I had every intention to request that the President of the Cooperative Republic order a Commission of Inquiry on the functioning of the TASK FORCE COMMISSION set up when the Coalition assumed office in 2015. I plan to respond to the article in the other newspapers.
It may interest you to note that the matter of vagrancy was brought to the attention of the Guyana public, since 1980’s through a white paper published by the then Guyana Consumers Association of which this writer was a member until 1990, when he was drummed out by elements loyal to those who ensured that the GCA died when they went to the Great Beyond.
Cabinet approved in 2015, the establishment of a multi-disciplinary Task Force, which would include the business, professional and members of civil society to aid with the transformation of Guyana under the new Government. This has been in response to the sustained call from citizenry for a cleaner, safer and more sustainable land.
The Mission of this multi-disciplinary Task Force is to restore Guyana as a land of great attractiveness and prosperity, and one that offers a good life for all its citizens and its visitors. The purpose of the Task Force is to develop detailed recommendations of short- medium-long term initiatives for the country’s restoration. The Task Force will use multiple approaches to actively engage a wide cross section of stakeholders in its five-fold area of responsibility. It will prepare and deliver a comprehensive restoration plan to the Minister of Public Infrastructure. Phase one of this project must be completed in time for the 50th Independence celebrations in 2016.
This project was considered by the new government as a priority project and participants were urged to work cooperatively, urgently, and unswervingly during all its stages. This Task Force will address principally the following areas, the enhancement of which will constitute its goals:- Drainage, Solid Waste Management and Derelict Vehicle Removal, Traffic Management, Sustainable Urban Physical Structure Renewal, Welfare Management of the Homeless and Addicted. These five sub-committees will be headed by a Convenor.
In the interest of open and broad consultations, the Task Force will be comprised of various persons from the Public and Private Sectors as well as Civil Society who have demonstrated experience, knowledge and capability in areas such as -Hydraulic and coastal engineering; environment and climate change adaption; integrated transport planning; urban planning and development; land use planning; disaster and risk management; IT, media and public relations; solid waste management expertise; social welfare interest and expertise.
Now, Mr. Editor like your good self, I have not heard nor seen this Task Force engaged in its mission. Can you make some inquiries on the matter, so that myself and your readers can be at ease as to the usefulness or other of the Task Force to restore Guyana to its natural beauty.
Hafiz Rahman

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