– EU envoy

WITH greater urban planning and future oil revenues, Georgetown can be transformed into the financial hub of the Caribbean, Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Guyana, Jernej Videtic said.

He shared these sentiments during a meeting with Georgetown Mayor Pandit Ubraj Narine, where on Wednesday, he handed over the plans for restoration of City Hall.
Noting that the plan cost €280,000 euros to produce, the EU envoy said the idea is to make City Hall self-sufficient and funds can be garnered through tourism, weddings, concerts and receptions that can be hosted at the venue.

“In the long-term, the money invested will be returned through the business model. We also spoke about Georgetown and its future and how we could assist the city, especially in view of future oil revenues and investments coming to Georgetown by foreign and European investors; and we agreed that the city needs to plan better, especially in urban planning, so that future investors would know where and how to invest in order to make Georgetown into a financial hub of the Caribbean,” Ambassador Videtic said.

He also explained that the meeting also discussed better waste management in the city, where better disposal systems can be achieved.
Georgetown Mayor Pandit Ubraj Narine said the meeting was a very fruitful one and he and his deputy mayor will be working towards a developmental vision for the city.

He explained that on Tuesday, the City Council met to establish three new sub-committees dealing with audits, tenders and procurement. Additionally, a solid waste management committee is intended to address transparency and ensure the smooth running of the council.

He thanked the EU and promised to maximise the potential of the support received.
City Hall, along with the engineer and mayor’s buildings, will be restored to their former 19th-century glory to the tune of $903 million.
The structure was designed by architect, Reverend Ignatius Scoles in 1887 and construction was completed in June 1889.