IN colonial times, tree-planting and maintenance was one of the primary concerns of the City Councils. The aesthetic and methodical cultivation of the trees earned Georgetown the envied and deserved appellation of “The Garden City of the West Indies.”

In addition to its aesthetic value, the planting of trees had a very practical facet. Georgetown was and still is, a wooden city, and fires are not uncommon. The Fire Brigades of the past had very limited capability to out fires as compared with the modern Fire Service. The trees on every street served as fire breaks.

The trees in those times were planted in a methodical way. Camp Street, for example, was planted with Red Flamboyants which are immortalised in Sharples’ water colours. Or Main Street had its stately samaans. Upper Hadfield Street was planted with an avenue of Mora trees. Or the length of Brickdam had a variety of interesting trees, including the Cannon Balls. The common as well as botanical names were imprinted on metal plaques and nailed to the trunks. These plaques were an education to children and gave useful information to all, including visitors.

Under Mayor Sir Lionel Luckhoo, smaller flowering shrubs and crotons were pioneered and planted in some streets and a few of these still survive in Main Street. Sir Lionel was probably thinking of many famous cities where flowering plants are in the streets as in Stockholm, where there are roses in some streets. After independence, and with the democratisation of the City Counci, a new dispensation came about and they were absorbed with other priorities than trees.

The beginning of the new year 2018 is an appropriate time for the City Councillors and the City Engineer’s Department to again give their serious attention to tree-planting and maintenance as an important part of city management. If a methodical approach is used, by the end of the new year, the city would begin to recapture its beauty and fame as “The Garden City of the West Indies.”

As a first phase, we would suggest that the present trees be cleaned of vines, especially birdvines, and trimmed in a symmetrical way. This would be a marked improvement. In this process, City Hall may be able to secure the help and co-operation of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) who have an equipped tree-trimming crew. After this phase, the city may then engage a horticulturist or secure horticultural help from the Ministry of Agriculture. Many of the trees of Brickdam and other streets,for example, have become far too tall and may have to be removed or considerably shortened. Some replanting will have to be done or replacement of dead trees and the horticulturist may suggest newer trees be planted in the now extended parts of the city.

Some streets, for example, such as Lamaha Street, which runs almost the full width of the city, will have to be treated differently. Before trees could be planted along this street, the sides of the parallel canal must be paaled. As a short-term solution until more funds become available, greenheart slabs (waste) from the sawmills could be used for the paaling. A line of golden showers in bloom running along the width of the city would be an amazing sight. In downtown Georgetown, parking considerations will have to be taken in tree-planting exercises, but even here, there could be room for beautification as is exemplified by Republic Bank on Water Street. Georgetown’s success in tree-planting and maintenance could serve both as an example and an inspiration to the new municipalities.