AFTER more than 23 years of struggling to keep the city litter-free, City Hall has obtained the help of the new government and other stakeholders, and is poised for the take-off towards restoring Georgetown to its former glory and making it the most beautiful city in the Caribbean.

This is according to city Mayor Hamilton Green during a press conference held in his office yesterday, the purpose of which was to bring the media up to date with the Municipality’s plans for the restoration of Georgetown.
The Mayor opened with kudos for newly elected president, Mr. David Granger, at whose initiative a major clean-up of the city has already started.

At the instance of President Granger and a group of persons headed by Colonel (Retd) Laurie London; the Municipality and the Private Sector and other stakeholders started the collaborative works last Sunday in the area contiguous to the Office of the President.

The exercise, which began with the restoration of the Independence Arch at the head of Brickdam, is almost completed and will ensure that the venue is in good shape and form for the holding of the 49th Independence Anniversary flag raising activities next Tuesday.

Thereafter, the clean-up momentum will continue across the city.

“The President has shown us the way, so we’re on a new road; a happy road!” Mayor Green said. Breathing a sigh of relief, and appearing to have had dumbbells lifted off his shoulders, the mayor declared: “We can now exhale in Georgetown –- a city that has been stultified, in some cases for the last 24 years.”

Noting that this is just the beginning of things, the mayor said everything will not be accomplished overnight, because the damage done to this city by the previous administration and the Town Clerk was very severe.

He said Council needs to begin with the clearing of 11 outfall channels, which will entail millions of dollars. In addition, Georgetown is below sea level, and that can have its disadvantages. Therefore, caution must be applied.

“But whatever we do with our drains, canals, bridges and trenches; at the end of the day, the integrity of the city’s sluices and the outfall channel must be secured,” Mayor Green said.

He said that City Hall is looking at hopefully putting together the programme before the end of the year, but its execution will require experts.
CHALLENGES & GOOD NEWS
Mayor Green announced that included among the monuments and sites for restoration is a major heritage site – City Hall. But the good news is that help is on the way. He said City Hall is looking at, hopefully, putting the restoration programme together before the end of the year, but it will require experts.

But while admitting that it is a big challenge, Mayor Green said that with assured support from the President and Government, City Hall is proceeding with confidence to restore Georgetown.

The new Minister of Finance has already given his okay, and the Minister of Local Government has pledged his full co-operation.
Additionally, Mayor Green said, yesterday morning he and the deputy mayor also had a meeting with the European Union (EU), during which the way forward was charted and the EU undertook to provide a team of experts to say what has to be done.

Present also at that meeting were members of the National Trust, together with an architect and an engineer.

The Mayor recalled that, sometime in the past, the previous government had made available a certain sum of money for restorative works; but, he said, it appears as though that government and some of the functionaries at City Hall had grossly underestimated the magnitude of the task at hand, so that attempt had proved a failure.

The Council has also received offers from the World Heritage Monument Site, and councilors will be meeting with the National Trust and the EU on Monday, to take them forward. “So we’re on a new road, a happy road,” Mayor Green said.

He called upon the media to offer their cooperation in any way possible as the restoration works continue. “Feel free to tell us where we are going wrong; what mistakes we make, so that with humility we can work together as a team. This has to be a co-operative effort among the government, private sector, the business people, the municipality and the citizens,” the mayor said.

He particularly implored the media to help Council to persuade people not to litter; to persuade people to clean their own drains around them, and their own yards; and to teach young people the role they can play in maintaining a litter-free environment and beautifying the city and country. He implored all to help make Georgetown the most beautiful city in the Caribbean.

By Shirley Thomas