PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo Thursday approved $5M for the restoration of the tower over the New Amsterdam Town Hall that has been overlooking the Region 6 municipality for over 100 years.
The approval came after the Head of State met members of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce (BCC) at State House for discussions on the Chamber’s vision for the Ancient County.
Among those present were BCC President Imran Saccoor, former President and Secretary Rohan Marray, member Ramesh Maraj, and New Amsterdam Town Clerk Angelina Collins. 
Restoration of the tower is one of the priorities in the Chamber’s future plans, fearful that its historic significance would be lost given its present state of disrepair.
“We thought that as members of the private sector, working along with the town council, we can come together to restore this tower… we are very happy that today the President has approved a sum of $5M which will go towards the restoration of this project,” Saccoor said.
The overhaul of the tower will add to the beautification of New Amsterdam, and Saccoor believes that pride will be restored as residents will be happy to see the tower back to its glory days.
He used the occasion to thank President Jagdeo for providing such support and for his reputation of having an open-door policy to persons in need of help.
Restoring pride in New Amsterdam is also a priority agenda of the town’s newly appointed Deputy Mayor Harold Dabydeen, who was sworn in on June 15.
He had promised to focus on solid waste management, drainage and irrigation, and a public education campaign.
The council has already acquired a bobcat and small excavator for drainage and garbage clean-up, and efforts are being made to increase the municipality’s subvention and acquire more machinery to strengthen municipal undertakings.(GINA)