GEORGETOWN, once revered as the Garden City, now faces a dire crisis of neglect and mismanagement, especially evident in its most significant public spaces like the Stabroek Market.
This historic market, once a potential jewel for tourism, now stands as a glaring symbol of the city’s decay. Stagnant water, heaps of garbage, and pervasive foul odors dominate the area, driving away potential visitors and suffocating local businesses.
The responsibility for this urban decay falls squarely on the shoulders of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)-controlled Mayor and City Council (M&CC).
The cries of discontent from the vendors and citizens are not just isolated complaints, they reflect a systemic failure in governance. The vendors, who are the lifeblood of the market, are left to fend for themselves, managing their business environments with little to no support from the authorities.
They pay their taxes dutifully, yet receive no reciprocal services. Instead, they are forced to clean up garbage, manage drainage issues, and even deal with public defecation in their business areas. This neglect from the M&CC is not only an abdication of their duties but a stark betrayal of public trust.
Dinesh Persaud, a long-time vendor at Stabroek Market, encapsulates the frustration and despair felt by many. His call for new leadership is not just a cry for change but a desperate plea for functional governance. The current City Hall administration’s failure to address basic sanitation and infrastructure issues undermines the daily operations of small businesses and erodes the market’s potential as a cultural and commercial hub.
Adding to the woes is the blatant incompetence and indiscipline of the Georgetown City Constabulary. Councillor Jai Narine Singh Jr. of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) paints a grim picture of a law enforcement body that is out of control and disconnected from the City Council. The lack of proper training, discipline, and basic respect for the M&CC exacerbates the chaos in Georgetown. The apparent ‘divorce’ between the City Council and the Constabulary has left a vacuum of authority, fostering an environment of lawlessness and neglect.
The APNU-controlled M&CC’s failure is multifaceted. Poor drainage, irregular garbage collection, and the deplorable conditions in public spaces highlight a broader issue of administrative paralysis and lack of vision. This is not just about failing to maintain public spaces, it is about the City Council’s failure to uphold the dignity and functionality of Georgetown. The city’s infrastructure is crumbling, and the leadership seems more interested in the blame game than in finding tangible solutions.
What Georgetown needs is a complete overhaul of its municipal governance. The call for new leadership, as voiced by the vendors, is both urgent and necessary. The City Council must be held accountable, and new, competent leadership must be ushered in to restore Georgetown’s glory. It is imperative for the city’s administration to prioritize the basics: Efficient garbage collection, proper drainage systems, and a disciplined constabulary force. Without these fundamental changes, Georgetown will continue to rot, both literally and figuratively.
The time for rhetoric and blame-shifting has long passed. Georgetown’s citizens deserve a clean, safe, and functional city. The opposition-run City Council must step down or radically change its approach. The vendors deserve a Council that supports and protects their interests. Only with dedicated and effective leadership can Georgetown reclaim its status as the Garden City and a true beacon of cultural and commercial vibrancy in Guyana.
