-Town Clerk highlights security plans, road works, clean-up drive, seasonal boost for small businesses

AS Lethem, like the rest of Guyana, gears up for a bustling holiday season, the town clerk and council are rolling out a number of initiatives aimed at improving health, security, and accessibility across the municipality.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle amid the growing Christmas activities, Town Clerk Keisha Williams said the council is spearheading clean-up efforts, implementing security and traffic measures, and pushing ahead with road works, all geared towards ensuring a safe and welcoming Christmas season for shoppers, residents, and small businesses.

With increased travel expected during the holidays, one of the council’s main areas of focus this season is transportation and accessibility.

Williams explained that contractors working on road rehabilitation projects in Lethem are pushing to complete works as early as possible ahead of Christmas. “We are working on getting a number of roads asphalted in the municipality of Lethem. And coming up to the Christmas season, the contractors have been pushing to asphalt all those roads, and to finalise those contracts before the Christmas season,” Williams said.

With travel comes increased traffic, a hurdle the council says it is well prepared to manage. Williams noted that the council has been working closely with local police ranks to ensure traffic remains under control, particularly given the large volume of vehicles that pass through the region daily.

“For security, we have made preparations for that with the police for traffic management,” she said, adding, “We would have met with the police to put measures in place for traffic control, given the fact that we are a border town with sometimes more than 1,000 cars a day in Lethem.”

The council is also focused on maintaining cleanliness amid the hustle and bustle of the season. Williams explained that the municipality has launched its annual clean-up campaign, and extended the hours for its waste collection services. “We are doing our clean-up drive, which we do annually. It is something that is done throughout the year, but we have started our clean-up drive for the municipality to ensure that we have a clean Christmas, not just a bright Christmas. Also, for our waste collection service, we have added extra hours to ensure that the town is clean,” she said.

Alongside efforts to ensure a safer and more enjoyable Christmas season, Williams highlighted the positive impact the holidays are having on small businesses and entrepreneurs. “We have seen quite a few small businesses popping up in the municipality, of which the council is supporting with regulating the operation of their businesses,” she said.

She further noted that, “We have noticed that there is support for the small businesses from the general public. And this is as a result of the efforts of the Small Business Bureau, the town council, as well as the fact that because of the training that a lot of them would have received, they are now marketing their product using the various means of communication available.”

The festive atmosphere in Lethem has already been set, following the town’s annual Christmas tree light-up and decorating activities held last week, which drew hundreds of residents.

“On Saturday, on the 13th of December, we had our annual Christmas tree light-up in the municipality. The event was attended by almost 800 residents, which includes children as well. There was a Christmas concert that included folks from the various religious sectors, students from the secondary and primary schools, as well as residents who participated in the concert and presented,” Williams added.

As Christmas approaches, the town council says it will continue working with stakeholders to ensure Lethem remains clean, safe, and accessible, while fostering an environment where residents and businesses can fully enjoy and benefit from the festive season.