Jagdeo’s half-baked plan for the zoo and Botanic Gardens!

Oct 27, 2024 Peeping Tom

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Peeping Tom…

Kaieteur News – In examining the grandiose plans for the enhancement of the zoo and Botanic Gardens in Georgetown, one would hope to find a vision equal to the soul and dignity of the city itself. Yet, despite the Vice President’s insistence that these proposals are woven into the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), a closer look reveals that this narrative is somewhat thin.

The planned enhancements are not, as some would hope, a grand step towards preserving and celebrating nature or the wooden heritage of Georgetown. Rather, they appear to be aimed at the comfort and pleasure of visitors staying in the mushrooming hotels within Georgetown. These improvements, noble in theory, seem more cosmetic than transformative and—one suspects—are unlikely to deliver on the promises they tout.

Georgetown’s Botanic Gardens and zoo are cherished public spaces. However, years of neglect have left these places worn and weathered, a poor reflection of the vibrant natural beauty Guyana has to offer. Now, with a rapid influx of visitors as international hotel chains set up shop in the heart of the city, attention turns to polishing the city’s amenities. Instead of creating genuine ecological sanctuaries, the plans on paper give the impression of a hurried makeover aimed at pleasing tourists—a fresh coat of paint where perhaps restoration and restructuring are truly needed.

In this context, the Vice President’s invocation of the LCDS feels strained. The strategy, heralded for its focus on protecting Guyana’s forests and reducing carbon emissions, seems a curious framework for beautifying urban landscapes. Even if green spaces within the city can be folded into this agenda, it is hard to see how cosmetic renovations to the Botanic Gardens and zoo could substantively contribute to a low-carbon future. Surely, if the government were serious about harnessing these green spaces to complement the LCDS, the plans would be comprehensive, integrating conservation measures, alongside green energy development for the city. But the current proposals appear to miss these marks, opting instead for minor tweaks that may, at best, produce a more polished façade.

Worse yet, the prospects of success are shadowed by the broader realities of Georgetown itself. The city has long been plagued by inadequate management under the watch of the Opposition-controlled City Hall. Drains are clogged, streets are potholed, and garbage piles up with alarming regularity and vendors are everywhere. It is here, in the administration of the city itself, that the real struggle lies. For years, City Hall has struggled to address even basic urban management needs, hampered by political bickering, lack of resources, an absence of vision and the failure rein in illegal vending. In such a setting, can we truly expect that a selective enhancement of the zoo and Botanic Gardens will make much difference to the city’s appeal?

Indeed, it is difficult to imagine these plans achieving any lasting effect without the active involvement and cooperation of City Hall. Georgetown’s troubles are systemic; piecemeal beautification efforts—however well-intentioned—are like putting a bandage on a festering wound. Without a holistic approach that addresses the underlying issues of municipal neglect and mismanagement, these enhancements will be little more than a gleaming veneer on a crumbling foundation. It is one thing to construct a fine garden, but it is another to place it in a city capable of supporting and celebrating such a space.

Georgetown after dusk becomes a city cloaked in unease, where poorly lit streets and minimal police presence leave residents and visitors vulnerable. The bravest plans for the city’s beautification and economic growth are doomed without a parallel commitment to safety. No vibrant nightlife or bustling business district can flourish if people fear for their security the moment night falls. Without investment in consistent, visible security measures, any grand improvements risk being mere ornaments in a city where safety is far from guaranteed after dark.

For a plan, as proposed by the government to succeed, there must be a collaborative vision that includes both national and municipal leaders, with an honest reckoning of Georgetown’s challenges. The Opposition-led City Hall may indeed be part of the problem, but sidelining it will not yield solutions. If the central government is to genuinely enhance the Botanic Gardens and zoo, it must first address the underlying infrastructural and management issues of the city as a whole. In the absence of this coordinated effort, these beautification plans are likely to yield disappointing results, akin to installing chandeliers in a house with a cracked foundation.

The unfortunate reality is that Georgetown’s Botanic Gardens and zoo, as well as the broader cityscape, will continue to suffer from sporadic and disconnected projects until there is a comprehensive approach to city planning. No hotel, no green space, and no new development can succeed in isolation. Georgetown, as it stands, demands an integrated vision—one that involves all stakeholders and dares to imagine a city worthy of the pride it once inspired. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) 

 

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• invocation, LCDS, one suspects, These improvements, Vice President’s

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