– to be done daily for next two/three months

SANITISING various streets across Georgetown will be done daily, for the next two to three months, by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), in collaboration with other agencies, Head of Solid Waste Management Department, Walter Narine, said on Wednesday.

Speaking with Guyana Chronicle about the initiative which kicked off at 04:00 hours on Wednesday, Narine informed that the works were done with help from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and Puran Brothers Disposal Services.

A number of streets around the Bourda Market area were washed. “This morning… we sanitised the contiguous areas around Bourda Market between Orange Walk and Bourda Street, between Regent and North Road, North Road between Orange Walk and Bourda Street,” Narine informed.

While these works were done by the GFS, Puran Brothers assisted the municipality with sanitising the Kitty/Campbellville bus park.

“The COVID-19 virus has potential to stay on the surface for in excess of 24 hours, so we’re trying to do our part in sanitising these areas on a daily basis. And we foresee this exercise lasting two to three months from now and we’re trying to do it continuously on a daily basis,” Narine said.

So far, he disclosed that Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle, has signalled his full support towards assisting the municipality in washing down the areas.

This morning (Thursday), the team will wash down in front of Stabroek Market (Stabroek Square) and in front of Fogarty’s Store and Guyana Post Office where vagrants tend to stay.
“As we go forward, we have a schedule of where we will be every morning. This exercise commences at 4 am sharp and we try to be out by 6. Less traffic means we can manage the areas properly as traffic makes the work very difficult,” Narine noted.

As for the various municipal markets, Narine shared that there will be specific days for closure to fully sanitise the markets. Today, (Thursday), the Stabroek Market will be closed and sanitised by the market’s staff. Bourda Market will be next and then Albouystown Market. Narine assured that adequate notice will be given the vendors on such closure.
Meanwhile, the City Council recently announced that it will be sanitising public spaces to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Head of the Public Health Department, Suzette Reynolds, explained: “We are committing to providing mass sanitisation of public spaces starting from the municipal buildings, then we hope to extend this to the public spaces like the ministries of government, places in central Georgetown that persons congregate frequently.”

Reynolds encouraged persons who have the necessary disinfectants, such as bleach and Jeyes fluid, to call the Council for assistance in spraying their premises.