Public roads aren’t Council roads – MoPW

Mar 29, 2026 News

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…says took control of roads due to longstanding neglect

(Kaieteur News) – The government of Guyana through the Ministry of Public Works on Friday made it clear that its decision to take control of 22 public roads was necessary due to longstanding neglect.

The ministry in a statement posted on its Facebook page rejected the statement issued by Mayor of Georgetown Alfred Mentore accusing the government of abusing its power by taking control of the city streets which fall under the purview of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council.

“It represents a calculated act of political intimidation and overreach, designed to destabilise the Municipality and silence the voices of the people of Georgetown,” the statement issued by the Mayor read.

Mentore made the comments following a dramatic standoff after councillors of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) were blocked from accessing a municipal property on Water Street by ranks of the Guyana Police Force.

Kaieteur News reported that the tense scene developed after Councilor Clayton Hinds attempted to enter the facility but was stopped by officers stationed at the entrance. A “no trespassing” sign had been erected, and police maintained a firm position that no one would be allowed inside.

Mayor Mentore later arrived and questioned the authority under which the restriction was imposed, insisting that the property belongs to the council and that no approval had been granted for such action. His attempts to get answers from the officers were unsuccessful.

A senior police official on site stated only that he was acting on “directives from above,” refusing to identify who issued the orders. He maintained that the sign would remain in place and access would continue to be denied.

A frustrated Mentore condemned what he described as an alarming abuse of state power.

“I just want people to understand the nature of the government that we’re dealing with… This bullyism that is in the school is the same bullyism that is there nationally,” the mayor said.

“Here we have the national police blocking councillors from accessing its own building. I have a problem with that.”

He made it clear that the council would not accept what it views as unlawful interference, announcing that legal proceedings will be initiated immediately. According to the mayor, lawyers will be engaged to seek an injunction against the government.

“We will not buckle,” he asserted, signalling a readiness to take the fight to the courts.

Other councillors echoed similar concerns, with one describing the situation as a “hostile takeover” of municipal assets and criticising what she said was a complete lack of consultation. She further alleged that constables previously assigned to the building were forcibly removed.

Councillor Lelon Saul warned that the implications go beyond a single property dispute, arguing that the developments strike at the core of democratic governance.

“What we’re seeing here is indicative of poor governance. This is a threat to democracy, make no mistake,” Saul said.

The confrontation comes amid heightened tensions following the government’s recent move to assume control of 22 roads previously managed by the municipality. The transfer of responsibility, carried out by the Ministry of Public Works under the Roads Act, has been strongly opposed by City Hall.

In a statement issued Friday, the mayor condemned the decision as a direct attack on the authority of the council.

However, later Friday, the Public Works Ministry firmly rejected Mentore’s statements regarding the 22 roads as being legally flawed and misleading.

“The Ministry emphasises that the Government of Guyana has acted lawfully, responsibly, and in the public interest, and therefore, will not be distracted by assertions that distort both the law and reality,” the ministry said.

The ministry argued that the Mayor’s contentions are a misrepresentation of the Municipal and District Councils Act, Cap. 28:01.

“The Act expressly defines a “council road” as any road other than a public road. This is decisive. Once a road is lawfully designated as a public road, it ceases, by operation of law, to be a council road. The notion proffered that these roads remain permanently within the Council’s jurisdiction is wholly misconceived.”

The ministry posited that section 274 of the Act, upon which the mayor relies, clearly states that the Council’s powers are subject to other written laws, one of which would be the Roads Act, Cap. 51:01.

“This critical limitation subjects the municipal authority over roads to the broader national legal framework.

The Roads Act, Cap. 51:01 vests responsibility for public roads in the Minister of Public Works, including the authority to designate and manage such roads. This power is not subject to or limited by the City Council under any other law. Therefore, the Minister, on behalf of the Central Government, has the lawful authority to take over and designate any road as a Public Road,” the ministry said.

Further, the ministry said that the claim that there was an absence of consultation is “not only false but is without legal foundation.”

“In many previous engagements with City Council as well as by Public pronouncements, Central Government has appealed to the City Council to upkeep, maintain, and manage these streets diligently and in the best interest of residents and businesses.

Unfortunately, these constant appeals were ignored. Central Government owes a duty to the public in such circumstances to do that which is necessary to remedy this situation, as these roads have been wholly neglected, are in disrepair, and in some cases are hazardous to public use,” the Ministry of Public Works said.

Moreover, the ministry said that the government has not seized the council’s assets noting that the mayor’s assertions are wholly flawed.

“Roads are public infrastructure, not private property owned by municipal bodies. What has occurred is a lawful reallocation of responsibility within the statutory framework, not an acquisition of property.

What is particularly revealing is the attempt to wholly ignore the scale of Central Government investment in Georgetown’s infrastructure over recent years. The Ministry of Public Works has not been a passive observer, but a principal driver of development and maintenance within the city.”

The ministry disclosed that between 2020 and 2025, approximately G$19 billion was expended on the rehabilitation of main access roads within Georgetown. In addition, approximately G $5.3 billion was invested between 2020 and 2025 in urban roads across the city.

The ministry said that an additional G$4 billion was directed towards maintenance works, approximately G $7.4 billion towards drainage interventions, and an estimated G$5 billion towards enhancement works within Georgetown.

“In total, this represents an investment of approximately GYD $40.7 billion by the Central Government into Georgetown’s roads and supporting infrastructure. It will be noted that the GYD $100 million subvention that the Government disbursed for renovation of City Hall itself is not included in the sums above.

These figures are not incidental; they demonstrate sustained, substantial, and necessary national intervention to support the city’s infrastructure. It is therefore disingenuous to now suggest that the Central Government is improperly intruding into an exclusively municipal domain when, in reality, it has long been required to stabilise and improve critical infrastructure for the benefit of all citizens,” the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the ministry said that the designation of the roads is not arbitrary noting that it forms part of a deliberate and ongoing response to public concerns regarding traffic congestion, road conditions, public health concerns, and the need for more coordinated and efficient management of key transportation corridors.

“The Government has consistently engaged with the public on these issues, and this measure reflects that continued responsiveness. The attempt to frame this matter as an erosion of local democracy is misplaced. What is at issue is the Government’s obligation to ensure that infrastructure is managed safely, efficiently, and in a manner that supports national development. That responsibility cannot be subordinated to a misinterpretation of the law,” the ministry said.

The ministry said it “remains open to engagement with the Georgetown City Council” but said that engagements must be “grounded in legal accuracy, good faith, and a shared commitment to the public interest, rather than rhetoric that seeks to mislead.”

It assured that the government “will continue to act decisively, lawfully, and in the best interest of the people of Georgetown and Guyana as a whole.”

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• Council roads, Georgetown Mayor and City Council, MoPW, political intimidation, public roads

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