Restoration of City Hall begins in two weeks
THE major restoration project to be undertaken by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), with financial assistance from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, is expected to commence within two weeks. Town Clerk Yonnette Pluck told a  press conference, last Thursday, that this restoration project is at City Hall, which is considered a heritage site and requires a great deal of repairs.

She said the repair is urgently required and, consequently, government has acceded to the request from Council and approved $20M for the purpose.

Pluck said, of that sum, $5M has already been handed over by the Ministry and the Council is, currently, developing a municipal website to provide information to the public.
Mayor Hamilton Green, who was also at the media forum, said it is going to be a slow, tedious process to restore one of the prime buildings in Georgetown.
“And this will require technical competence and patience. The idea is to restore City Hall to its character, its beauty and its historical significance,” he stated.
Mr. Green said he asked Pluck not to spend a cent unless the Council has a vision to achieve that noble restoration objective.
Councillor Ranwell Jordan, who admitted he was not up-to-date with information pertaining to the project, said the City Engineer was supposed to have prepared a revised plan but he is not aware if it has been submitted.
Permanent Secretary within the Local Government Ministry, Mr. Nigel Dharamlall told the Guyana Chronicle that the money for the restoration forms part of the Ministry’s efforts to mobilise resources for the municipality.
He confirmed that the edifice is looked upon as a heritage site and the restoration is necessary.
According to him, the remainder of the $20M will be made available as the works progress.
City Hall was constructed in 1889 and its architecture, described as Danube Gothic, is of timber, largely due to its stylised tower, with wrought iron crenelations at the very apex.