Restoring Georgetown’s Glory

Nov 13, 2025 Editorial, News

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(Kaieteur News) – The Government of Guyana’s latest initiative to restore cleanliness and order to Stabroek Square is both commendable and timely.

On Monday, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development launched its “Going Forward” engagement, bringing together vendors, city officials, and citizens in a collaborative effort to keep the iconic market square clean. This initiative led by Minister Priya Manickchand and supported by Georgetown’s Mayor, Alfred Mentore marks a renewed commitment to reclaiming Georgetown’s reputation as the “Garden City of the Caribbean.”

The move is not just cosmetic. It represents an important step in addressing the long-standing neglect of the capital for decades by successive the PPP/C Governments. The installation of garbage bins at forty-foot intervals around Stabroek Market, coupled with twice-daily waste collection, is a practical solution to one of Georgetown’s most persistent problems: poor waste management. It was also heartening to hear the minister emphasising cooperation rather than punishment by engaging vendors as partners instead of targets of enforcement also reflects a more mature, community-centered approach to governance.

Minister Manickchand was right to emphasise that Stabroek Market is more than a commercial space; it is a living emblem of Guyanese culture, history, and resilience. For generations, it has served as the heart of economic activity in Georgetown, where vendors, taxi drivers, and commuters intersect in the daily city life. Yet, despite its cultural significance, Stabroek Square has long suffered from neglect. Overflowing garbage, poor drainage, and disorganised vending have created an environment that not only undermines the city’s beauty but also poses serious public health and environmental hazards.

The new waste management plan, complete with bins, collection schedules, and vendor engagement is therefore a welcome step. However, cleanliness must be understood not as a one-time campaign but as a sustained civic culture. For too long, Georgetown’s challenges have been addressed in cycles of short-lived enthusiasm followed by prolonged neglect. If this new initiative is to succeed, it must be accompanied by consistent enforcement, public education, and a renewed sense of civic pride among citizens.

The presence of Mayor Mentore alongside Minister Manickchand is a hopeful signal that cooperation between central and municipal authorities is possible and necessary. Too often, partisan divides have hampered meaningful progress in city management. Georgetown’s revitalisation cannot succeed if it becomes another political football. What is needed instead is a shared vision, one that prioritises functionality, aesthetics, and livability over political one-upmanship.

Still, restoring the capital to its former glory involves far more than waste management. Traffic congestion, poor zoning, inadequate drainage, and the absence of modern building codes remain pressing concerns. Georgetown’s infrastructure is under strain, and while the government’s oil windfall provides an unprecedented opportunity for transformation, development must be guided by both foresight and fairness. Beautification projects cannot come at the expense of social equity. The families who depend on vending for their daily bread must be supported, not displaced.

This is where Minister Manickchand’s assurance to vendors that the government wants to see their businesses thrive takes on real significance. Social justice must walk hand in hand with urban renewal. Clean markets and organised vending spaces contribute not only to a healthier environment but also to a stronger, more inclusive economy. Citizens should not have to choose between feeding their families and following new urban regulations. The Stabroek initiative, then, should be seen as the beginning of a broader national dialogue about urban life, civic responsibility, and the kind of country Guyana wants to become in this new era of prosperity. With oil revenues transforming the national budget, the government has the means to build a modern capital, one that reflects both the nation’s rich heritage and its aspirations for the future. But such transformation requires more than money; it requires discipline, cooperation, and a shared moral commitment to the common good.

In this light, the “Going Forward” initiative is aptly named. It is a reminder that progress is not only measured in skyscrapers and highways but in the small, everyday acts of care that citizens show for their surroundings. When a vendor chooses to use a bin instead of tossing garbage onto the street, when a commuter refrains from littering, when city officials follow through on maintenance schedules, these are the quiet victories that build a truly modern city. Georgetown’s renaissance will not happen overnight.

But if the spirit of partnership displayed at Stabroek Market can be sustained if government, vendors, and citizens alike take ownership of their environment then the capital can once again earn its place as the Caribbean’s Garden City. The bins may be small symbols, but they mark a larger truth: a clean city begins with clean habits, and progress begins when everyone takes responsibility.

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• Editorial, Georgetown, Going Forward, Restoring, Stabroek Square

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