— Minister McCoy responds to SN editorial

MINISTER in the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, has defended the government’s decisive intervention in the state of the capital city, saying Georgetown has suffered too long under municipal stagnation and that the central government will not allow “small-minded politics” to obstruct the city’s transformation.

Responding to a Stabroek News editorial titled “Petty politics” published on Friday, McCoy said the concerns highlighted about the city’s deterioration are not new, but the time of waiting is over.

Underlining what he described as the administration’s national mandate for urgent action, McCoy said the government remains laser-focused on modernising the capital, in line with President, Dr Irfaan Ali’s transformative agenda.

“Our mandate is clear: to build all of Guyana for the future, to raise the standards of living of all of our people and to ensure that Georgetown, the seat of government and the country’s principal urban centre, is restored, revitalised and re-imagined to reflect Guyana’s ambition and potential,” the minister stated.

He acknowledged the city’s long-standing weaknesses such as flooding, collapsing drains, ageing infrastructure and structural decay, but argued that the government cannot allow traditional political patterns to delay critical interventions.

“RESPONSIVENESS, NOT POLITICAL GAMESMANSHIP”

McCoy rejected any suggestion that government’s involvement is politically motivated, insisting instead that the administration is moving with clear intentions and measurable timelines.

He pointed to the establishment of the multi-agency Georgetown Drainage Development team and a new partnership with the UK-based King’s Foundation as evidence of practical, results-oriented action.

“We are not interested in mere rhetoric; we are interested in results. And results demand a break from the status quo of decades of under-performance, of successive city councils and municipal authorities that have lacked the vision, capacity or willpower to respond to basic and more so, growing demand.… while residents continue to suffer,” Minister McCoy said.

He was critical of the Georgetown City Council under Mayor Alfred Mentore, noting that after years of poor delivery, residents have grown frustrated with “back-and-forth, defensive postures, blame-shifting and municipal politics that prioritise power and control over service delivery.”

Citing the editorial’s description of “piddling local authorities,” McCoy said this reflected the widely held public sentiment about City Hall’s performance.

The minister stressed that the government’s move is not about undermining the municipal body, but about meeting the urgent needs of citizens who have endured inaction for too long.

“This intervention is not about undermining municipal government. It is about ensuring citizens’ needs are served efficiently, professionally and transparently,” he said.

McCoy explained that City Hall’s technical officers, including the City Engineer and Director of Solid Waste Management, have already been integrated into the national task force to ensure institutional knowledge remains part of the process.

He also noted that the transformation plan includes wide stakeholder consultation involving the private sector, community groups, heritage bodies and municipal staff.

“This is inclusive governance in action. President Ali has demonstrated a commitment to inclusive governance across every national sector. The opportunities for meaningful participation in the Georgetown revival plan remain wide open,” McCoy stressed while adding that Mayor Mentore and all councillors are welcome at the table, but only if their engagement is grounded in civic duty rather than political theatre.

“There is no room for the tired political tactics of hugging power, obstructing progress or staging manoeuvres that prioritise political antics over people’s welfare,” he warned.

Assuring residents that tangible improvements are imminent, the minister said technical studies have begun, contracts will soon be awarded and major works will follow.

“You are done waiting. You are done with the political games of City Hall,” McCoy said. “Our rescue plan is not a stunt; it is a sober, urgent and results-driven intervention mandated by you, the people.”

McCoy said the government intends to measure its intervention by real-world impact: upgraded streets, cleared canals, restored green spaces, improved mobility, better parking and overall upliftment of Georgetown’s quality of life.

“The days of small-minded municipal politics at the expense of residents are over,” he asserted. “Georgetown will be transformed.”

He reiterated that all credible stakeholders are invited to be part of the process—but the government will not slow down.

“We will measure ourselves by how many streets are upgraded… how modern the city becomes… and ultimately how well it improves the standard of living for you and your families.”