MAN’S habitat is a major element in assessing his thinking and outlook in life. The environment, within which we live, while comprising various facets, has been used over the years in making judgment about a society and its people. The programme that has been embarked upon in Georgetown and its environs in making efforts by the administration to have it clean and maintained, reflects the thinking not only of its leaders, but some sections of the general society.We live in a time when the world places increasing emphasis on preventative healthcare, which is also a contributory factor in enhancing longevity. It is for this reason that a clean and healthy physical environment is equally important to one’s well-being and societal development. Bringing about this requires the involvement of both the managers and receivers of service to make sure that the end delivery benefits the whole and not the part or individuals.
The resources that are in the city to address our public health needs to remain within a limited capacity based on the finances that are available. Every citizen of or visitor to Georgetown, conscious of health requirements, can collectively work to realise a healthy environment. The recent holidays have seen public spaces in Georgetown used for respective festivities, and in its wake have seen the landscape wantonly littered without apparent care or concern. The reversion to this unhealthy behaviour attracted criticism as to the slow pace of the City Council in cleaning up, and the seemingly sole responsibility of the council for maintaining the cleanliness of Georgetown, not both the council and users of the public space.
The public spaces — parks, seawalls, etc — were used by all in the recent festivities and many failed to properly clean up and dispose of their garbage in an appropriate manner. With the recognition of this experience, as a measure of planning, it may be necessary for the council to assess the volume of garbage thrown around areas and in future make arrangements for garbage skips to be placed in areas to facilitate placement. It is important also that as citizens — visitor or resident — we cultivate a culture of environmental awareness and respect. This is not a case where this cannot be done, as evident in appropriate conduct when Guyanese visit other countries and conform to their environmental good practices. It is suggested that persons start cultivating the habit of storing their waste with them to be disposed of in one of the public garbage disposals or at their homes.
Decisions will have to be made by both government (central, regional and local) and citizens to bring about a new level of consciousness and commitment. At the public awareness level, there is need for education– sustained, simple and visible — because what we are talking here is changing a behavioural practice that has become a bad habit. At the formal level, educators can help in teaching students about environmental wellness and proper garbage disposal. It is known that at the nursery level our educators impart knowledge on hygiene and etiquette, giving our children a very early start in taking care of themselves and being responsible citizens. Enhancing these appropriate life skills with environmental respect will help in moulding minds at a tender age. The family too has a responsibility to teach and practise environmental cleanliness.

Government has a responsibility to maintain and improve the environment by ensuring that garbage disposal is buttressed with deterrence. It may be opportune for the new council to look at littering and have by-laws that not only attract a fine that will minimise the tendency to litter, but such laws much come with community service hours in a controlled environment, such as working with the garbage collectors.
Georgetown for years has earned the unpleasant sobriquet as the garbage city and strident efforts are being made daily to restore it to the Garden City, and hopefully being a model for other parts of Guyana, this revitalisation has to succeed. Both citizens and government must play their roles.