Latest update January 15th, 2025 1:56 AM
Safety of residents a great concern…“Trees have outlived their time” – Mabaruma Mayor
The famous rubber trees in Mabaruma, Region One are now feared to be a hazard to residents traversing the Philbert Pierre Avenue roadway after heavy winds and rain caused one of them to fall.
That tree came crashing down recently near the compound of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph company, barely missing some power lines. 
Residents are now expressing their concern that rotten branches might fall and cause injury and property damage.
They are now calling upon authorities to cut down all the trees. Those making this appeal have the Mabaruma Mayor, Chris Phang on their side.
“The trees have outlived their time,” Phang told Kaieteur News during a telephone interview yesterday.
“The Mayor and Town Council have no objection to the trees being felled,” he added, while stressing that the safety of residents is priority.
Mayor Phang also revealed that a tree planting exercise is currently in the pipelines for the township.
But not everyone agrees with this plan.
In November 2019, Social activist Sherlina Nageer organised the” Save the rubber trees of Mabaruma” petition, after controversy arose about the cutting down of the tress to facilitate the expansion of the roadway.
The petition came after a poorly attended consultation meeting with the Regional Administration, the Mayor and Town Council and an engineer from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.
The online petition was signed by thousands of Guyanese here and abroad, who urged the authorities to consider an alternative.
Later, in a letter sent to Kaieteur News, Nageer suggested that funds be allocated to “prune the rubber trees to prevent dead or damaged branches from falling and causing harm to persons or property.”
Those who signed the petition argued the trees, which are over one hundred years old, serve as a landmark, while also being a tourist destination.
The Democratic Council had agreed to cut the century old tress along the famous Rubber Walk to facilitate road expansions. The project however, was halted.
The famous rubber trees of Mabaruma were planted over a hundred years ago by Philbert Pierre. To date, attempts made to replant the rubber tress have all been unsuccessful.
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