Collaborative clean-up campaign planned to restore Georgetown
THE Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce in collaboration with the Ministries of Local Government and Regional Development and Public Works, as well as Private Sector organisations and City Hall will be conducting a clean-up campaign to restore the image of Georgetown, as preparations continue for the upcoming Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC) later this month. To facilitate this exercise, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has drafted a maintainable enhancement programme for the capital, placing major emphasis on areas along the ‘City Trail’, which will include “common, important, historical places and streets” frequented by tourists.
Acting Tourism Minister, Mr. Irfaan Ali said the collaborative venture is an effort to ensure the city remains a tourist hub. That was agreed during a meeting, on Monday at the Tourism Ministry, involving the Minister within the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry, Mr. Norman Whittaker, Public Works Minister, Mr. Robeson Benn as well representatives of Private Sector organisations.
Ali explained that, despite many attempts by the Government of Guyana and the PSC to maintain a tourism friendly environment, the City Council continues to struggle to keep up such efforts.
Pointing to the importance of the initiative, he said:”The city trail is the very common, important, historical places and streets in the city that most tourists would go to or have to go through, if they are visiting. In the past, such interventions could not be maintained but the government in collaboration with the Private Sector would be intervening this time around as the country welcomes more than 250 delegates who are key stakeholders in the tourism sector.”
Minister Whittaker expressed similar sentiments, while calling on City Hall to understand the integral role it plays in the success and continuation of this thrust.

Integral role
“I hope today will be different, because they have an integral role to play; the areas that have been identified for this clean-up enhancement activity falls within the municipality and, therefore, they have an obligation to do it,” he said.
In his remarks, Public Works Minister Benn said that his ministry has been tasked with executing the hard core infrastructural inputs along the main routes to be used by the delegates and he noted that works have commenced on the revamping of main access roads and drains in the city and its neighbouring communities.
Benn reiterated his concern for the unrestrained and indisciplined dumping of garbage, which remains a major challenge facing the city.
Meanwhile CH&PA’s Chief Planner, Mr. Rawle Edinboro outlined the ‘City Trail’ plan which is to be implemented.
He said it would immensely boost the city’s tourism sector.
“The approach that we articulated, based on the structure of the city, we are staying with that. The clean-up effort should be a five-count strategy, focusing on the city corridors to begin with, the transport corridors, certainly the wards, particularly those where you have intense business activity or where there are major tourism facilities such as hotels.”
Emphasis will be placed on corridors in the vicinities of Pegasus International Hotel, Stabroek through, Brickdam, Cuffy Square, Vlissengen Road and the seawall, he added.
The Private Sector representatives all pledged their support for the drive and pointed to the importance of ensuring the city environs are maintained, not only for the upcoming conference, but on a continuous basis.
For the second time, Guyana is all set to host the prestigious conference, from April 15 to18, which will be held under the theme ‘Keeping the Right Balance: Sustaining Our Resources’ to attract key stakeholders in the tourism industry.
Minister Ali said the interest shown so far from operators and participants around the Caribbean and internationally, have been immense, and the hosts are catering for some 300 delegates.