ATTEMPTS to upgrade Bartica, Charity, Parika,Supenaam, Rosignol and possibly Lethem into towns are likely to take effect before Guyana celebrates its 50th independence anniversary, next year. This was according to Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, who explained that this is a mere “outside date,” given that his ministry will be working assiduously to fulfil the promises made by President David Granger during their campaign in the lead- up to the recently concluded general and regional elections.
The initiative of having several secondary towns upgraded to township status has been in the pipeline for several years, and had seemed to be coming closer to fruition when the former government had placed advertisements in the local newspapers inviting tenders to provide consultancy services for the revaluing of properties and the strengthening of urban management and administration in these four communities.
The advertisement detailed that funding for these projects was provided by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) through a Technical Assistance Grant to the country.
However, following this report, articles appeared coming from the then minister that while the “soft” part of this project – including the training of officials – was currently ongoing, there were significant implications in commissioning new towns before local government elections were held.
Additional reports on February 8, 2008 indicated that the government of Guyana and the CDB had signed a contract amounting to US$16.1 million to have these four communities – Bartica, Charity, Parika and Supenaam converted to towns as part of the Community Services Enhancement Project (CSEP).
It was further disclosed that the CDB had provided the sum of US$200,000 as a grant for the project, while the balance was in the form of a loan. The timeline given for the completion of this project was three years.
This agreement was intended to allow for the provision of technical assistance for services provided in the targeted communities, particularly the infrastructure and the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs), with the intention that this would lead to their eventual elevation to towns.
Since this development, attempts have been made to enhance infrastructure in the regions, including repairing roads in the communities, improving administrative buildings and constructing new markets.
Additionally, resources were also allocated for designing programmes to address issues such as solid waste management, community awareness and participation, strengthening urban management and a town- transition plan to enhance financial and infrastructural management.
In January 2007, a contract to the tune of $29M was inked with the Jamaican company Trevor Hamilton Associates for them to engage in work to bring institutional strengthening to the four towns.
Plans to increase the number of Guyanese towns was said to be on the government’s agenda for several years. Presently, six towns exist in Guyana: Anna Regina, New Amsterdam, Rose Hall, Corriverton, Linden and Georgetown.  During the 2003 budget debate, then Local Government Minister Clinton Collymore had announced that $1 billion of that year’s $72.9 billion budget had been set aside for upgrading Parika, Bartica, Lethem and Rosignol to townships during the course of the year, but these plans never materialised.
Against this eventful backdrop and inconsistent developments, the Communities Minister assured this publication that the current administration will do everything in its will to ensure that these promises are transformed into reality.
However, Bulkan posited that an “outside date” for the Guyanese people to expect these towns to attain township status will be before Guyana celebrates its 50th independence anniversary next year.
These six towns currently existing in Guyana are all incorporated, with each having a Mayor and Town Council which is responsible for maintenance of the municipality.

By Ravin Singh