By Alva Solomon

WHEN the members to serve on the Georgetown Municipality were sworn in on Friday, one thing was evident about the council’s make-up: the presence of several youthful faces.Among the young faces, who will decide on the affairs of the City, are Trichria Richards, Akeem Peter and Salima Bacchus-Hinds. The three highlighted their views on the council’s agenda ahead, including the restoration of Georgetown to the Garden City title it held in yesteryear.

Richards and Peter represent the APNU+AFC, while Bacchus-Hinds serves in the seat won by Team Benschop for Mayor at last month’s Local Government Elections.

Richards, who hails from the Laing Avenue area in West Ruimveldt, told this publication that she wishes to see the Capital City being transformed completely according to the title it held in the years gone by.

She said that in the years ahead, she wants to see communities within the City being enhanced through self-help, with there being a sense of togetherness.

“I would also like to see that the power of the local communities go back to the people within the different constituencies in terms of cleaning the environment and maintenance,” she added.

Richards added that community centres would greatly add to the development of communities within the capital.

Richards, who represented Constituency 13 at the March 18 LGE, noted that one of the major issues affecting her community is flooding. She promised she would ensure that this problem is corrected in the long-run.

The newly-elected councillor also noted that since the change in Government last May, persons have developed a sense of self-help with regard to cleaning their communities.

“I would like to see that being continued as this new council carries out its work,” she said.

Peter, who represented Constituency 5 at the LGE, said the issues within the areas in his constituency are known to the Government and the council.

FIND SOLUTIONS
He said the goal of the council is to find solutions to the issues affecting the communities.

“We have noted, along the years, that security, public infrastructure, public health, and youth empowerment are some things we need to focus on; and we need to invest in those issues,” he said.

As a young councillor, Peter said, he feels privileged to be one of the younger persons to sit on the council.

“I believe that this is what Local Government is all about; it is transferring the power back to the people, whether you are young or old. This is actually our opportunity to guide Georgetown in the direction that it has to go,” Peter noted.

He said the council now has an opportunity to restore “that which has been lost”.

“It is good to see young people serve within these capacities, and it is something which we had been looking forward to and want to see over the years to come,” he added.

Bacchus-Hinds said she will advocate for all decisions made at the council level to be undertaken transparently and in the best interest of the residents of Georgetown.

She said these are the concerns of residents, including calls for improved drainage and garbage collection.

“For those things to be managed the best way, we need to improve the management of the city,” she declared.

Meanwhile, Mark Benchop, of Team Benchop for Mayor, congratulated the new councillors on their appointment, and expressed hope that they will work towards the betterment of the Capital.

Benschop said he was somewhat concerned at the make-up of the newly-formed Finance Committee of the City Council. He said it was puzzling that the voting process on Friday resulted in only members of the Government side being elected to serve on the Finance Committee. This, he said, can result in issues relative to accountability and transparency.

Benschop said it is now the duty of his party, and the other smaller groups whose members sit on the council, to ensure that there is transparency at the highest level.