The National Beautification Project

First Lady Arya Ali has launched a National Beautification Project. This project is good for Guyana given citizens’ tendency not to take pride in the environment outside of their homes. Many do not see connection with a clean environment and health. A clean environment is not only aesthetically pleasing but positively impacts on mental and physical health and overall well-being. A dirty environment makes it easy for communicable diseases to spread such as gastroenterology, dengue fever and other vector borne diseases, putting strain on the public health system and keeping people away from work.

Even as the National Beautification Project is welcomed, it is not lost on society that Mrs. Ali is representing a government that tends to deprive legitimate organisations and institutions as the Georgetown City Council over the years. It is hoped that she will stand firm and support the various regional and local authorities in their environmental works even as she contributes to the overall success.

When the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government left office in March 2015 the environment was in a deplorable state. The then government starved the councils they did not control of funds by withholding rates and taxes and subventions. For example, Georgetown, the once acclaimed Garden City, became representative of the garbage city. Drainage and irrigation were in disrepair, resulting in the city flooding at the slightest of heavy rainfalls, damaging property and livestock that cost the affected hundreds of millions. Thankfully, this no longer happens due to A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition Government drainage programme.

Efforts to destroy Georgetown saw support from some private businesses who engaged in dumping around the city, making the place a public health hazard. One minister was bold enough to say he wished for an outbreak in the city even though he worked in the city, held responsibility for local government, and the seat of government is in Georgetown. What happened to Georgetown should not be repeated, though it is hard to remove feelings the city was badly treated because it is populated primarily by supporters of the opposition, and the possibility exists that those ugly days can return.

In March 2015 when the Coalition Government was elected it began a beautification campaign, in Georgetown and around Guyana, restoring the environment, government offices and buildings. The present PPP/C administration would find it hard to deny that they inherited an environment much cleaner than they left.

Though the examples are numerous, it is deserving of being reminded of the State House and the lawns which have been restored to pristine condition, likewise the Office of the President. The streets of Georgetown and around the country were being treelined and solid waste management improved. Bartica, a new town established by the Coalition Government, was earmarked to be the model town for a Green Economy. And though in some areas there have been the pulling down of the newly planted palm trees, palms have been existing in society from time immoral, as part of our flora. Choosing to deliberately uproot these trees because it is a symbol of a political party and planted during the Coalition says extraordinarily little of those involved in this puerile behaviour.

The present government knows citizens are aware the PPP/C government left a dirty environment in 2015 and has inherited a clean one in 2020. The least society expects is maintenance and improvement.  The National Beautification Project is laudable but also begs for laws to deter those inclined to trash the environment. Guyana could benefit learning from other societies who are successfully dealing with problems of this nature.