FOR nearly two centuries Guyana was content to have two towns – Georgetown, the capital of Demerara and later the whole country, and New Amsterdam, the capital of Berbice. In the 21st Century, the Central Governments felt that a number of growing large villages should be given the status of “township. There are now nine new townships which include Lethem, Bartica and Anna Regina.

The Central Governments have never issued any white papers giving the reason d’etre of elevating these prosperous growing villages into townships. Had they done so, each of the new townships would have been given special individual reasons for their elevation and a blueprint of individual town-planning would have been evolved.

Instead, both the Ministries with responsibility for Local Government as well as the people of these villages and their Mayors and Town Councillors merely had a vague feeling that “township” would bring greater status, better administration and in time, improved social and economic conditions. They did not quite understand that hard creative work was required of them and that there were challenges and opportunities which would present themselves which they should seize with alacrity.

These new towns have been operating much as they did before when they were villages. If these new towns are going to be able to deliver a better life to their inhabitants, they must publicise their development plans, including their aesthetic development.

The early history of Georgetown should be an inspiration and guide to these new municipalities: When the British took over the three Guyana colonies – Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice – from the Dutch, Stabroek, the Capital of Demerara now came to be regarded as the administrative capital of the whole country.The British, less than 20 years after their occupation of the colonies, began enforcing enlightened municipal laws and among their achievements, they built impressive buildings. Such buildings include the Law Courts, now the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and the Public Building which initially housed the Governor and the Administration.

Most of the early British were in the military and they made their encampment in Kingston where they built their living quarters, barracks, fort and lighthouse to guide the arrival of their ships. This accounts for the street names in Kingston having military associations. Though Kingston was essentially a military encampment, the buildings and the layout of the area were impressive by early 19th century standards.

In the next few decades, the colony developed economically and this meant that a growing import/export trade developed. The major shops congregated in Water Street where the port was. The store owners lived in the upper storeys above their shops.

As they became more prosperous, these business folk emigrated to the street behind Water Street, that is Main Street. They constructed stately wooden houses in very large yards where they grew a variety of fruit trees and where children could play. On both sides of the canal which ran through Main Street, they planted large ornamental trees such as the samaan. They were acutely conscious of the aesthetic.

On the southern side of the street, they created a social and recreational complex: There was the Royal Agricultural and Commercial Society which housed a library and museum where the Guyana Museum now stands. Here much research was done and the RACS’ journals are still a mine of information.

Next door to the RACS was the Assembly Rooms where concerts and plays were performed and events such as the Old Year’s Balls were held. The Assembly Rooms complex also housed the famous Georgetown Club. The Bank of Guyana now stands where the Assembly Rooms were. Across the street from the Assembly Rooms was the St George’s Anglican Cathedral and next door to it was the Masonic Hall. At the southern end of the street was the Tower Hotel which catered for visitors. In a very short time, these early British were able to create a compact town which catered for the social, economic and cultural needs of the townsfolk.

The nine towns were all villages and proper planning would preserve the worthwhile things in them. Each of the new towns should engage an able town-planner who should constantly exchange ideas with NGO’s and the town council. Each town should strive after its own individuality. It would be a creative and revolutionary step if each Council were to provide free architectural help to townsfolk who intend to build. With such planning, the new towns may be aesthetically pleasing for generations to come.

One aspect of town planning which should not be overlooked is that the town should have a large contiguous reserve of land where market gardening and diary farming could be accommodated. Old Georgetown was to a large extent self-sufficient in vegetables, ground provisions and milk because of its huge “back-dam”. This “back-dam” has now been converted into housing schemes.

In planning the governance of the towns, the Central Authorities should guard against the decline syndrome which overtook Georgetown in the last 50 years. From its foundation until the 1960’s, Georgetown was a well-run town which was clean, beautiful and delightful to live in.
The Administration was honest and it was unthinkable to associate any kind of corruption with it. The financial affairs were entirely transparent and this is evidenced that whenever the Town issued bonds, they were all quickly sold.Taxes were paid on time.There was never over-staffing and out-sourcing of the Council’s work never occurred.

In their early years, the Central Authorities must give guidance and help to the new Councils so as to avoid them falling into the morass into which Georgetown fell in the last 50 years. The decline of Georgetown and the reasons for its decline could provide a unique guide and education to the new municipalities in their drive to provide their citizens with a better life.