…in efforts to restore Georgetown to ‘Garden City’ it once was
THE Parliament Square, in Stabroek, which will enhance the image of downtown Georgetown, is expected to be officially opened this month-end, according to Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali. The project, which is costing some $37M, is aimed at enhancing downtown Georgetown and, when completed, “the city will reflect a better image of urbanity.”
In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle earlier this week, Minister Ali said, “The Parliament Square, as you know, was born out of the first Building Expo.”
He reminded that there are three developments running concurrently – the Parliament Square, the Brickdam Renewal Plan, and the Stabroek Market Square.
“We have completed most of the hard infrastructural work at the square, and within another week, we are hoping to have the fountain completed and the trees planted so that, by the end of March, we can officially open the Parliament Square,” he said.

The Parliament Square, in Stabroek, is aimed at enhancing the image of downtown Georgetown, and is expected to be officially opened this month-end.

The project is being done at the site which formerly housed the Bureau of Statistics, and the objective is to re-develop the area with an elevated mini-urban park, consistent with planning and design principles defined by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).
This will have a catalytic effect on the overall thrust to enhance valued urban spaces and restore Georgetown to the Garden City it once was.
Touching on the Brickdam renewal plan, which is another project that will see downtown Georgetown reflecting a better image of urbanity and will drastically enhance the surroundings, Ali said the design for that plan has been completed.
“We want to redo the entire Brickdam – plant it, pave it and make it a very secure street, a very scenic street, and a street that would have an air of freshness and beauty,” he anticipated.
Minister Ali said, too, that a number of stakeholder meetings have been held and “we are hoping to push forward now with the Brickdam Renewal Plan.”
The Stabroek Market Square plan has also been developing with the designs being completed.
“Right now, I know the staff is working in conjunction with the Ministry of Public Works to have the traffic routing and rerouting finalized, so that we can commence work there also.”
“We are hoping that by the end of this year, the Brickdam Renewal Plan will be completed and works would have commenced on the Stabroek Market Square project,” Minister Ali said.
Natural elements such as building blocks, shrubbery and trees will be used to create a greener, cleaner environment, factoring in sustainability considerations, as well as creating a highly accessible and centrally located public recreational facility.
Despite the redevelopment, the historic significance of the demolished structure will be preserved as a miniature model, along with meticulous landscaping to accentuate the site’s historical value and compensate the loss of the previous edifice.
Other key features of the proposal include a model of a miniature Public Buildings, to be used for educational purposes by persons visiting, as well as a fountain set centrally on a mound, surrounded by a circle of shrubs.
“This facility is unique and it is intended to rejuvenate and stimulate a change in the culture of the people and enhance the garden nature of our city, while preserving the historical traditions,” Minister Ali had said in a previous interview.
Management of the implementation is being guided by inter-agency collaboration among stakeholder agencies, as the CH&PA recognises that the nature of the project requires diligent collaborative supervision, if consistency, in terms of standards, is to be maintained throughout the design and implementing phases.