Fellow citizens, when I was entrusted with the Office of Mayor of the City of Georgetown on January 1, 2019, I made a solemn promise to myself and the citizens of Guyana that City Hall will be fully renovated and properly maintained.
My promise was inspired by the fact that long before I became Mayor, I recognised the historic importance of the uniqueness and beauty of the significant edifice. I remember thinking that the magnificence of City Hall is on par with such structures as the St. George’s Cathedral and the Stabroek Market.
I recall – younger days — routinely seeing both local people, and visitors alike stopping to take pictures of the building. This is not surprising considering City Hall’s impressive architecture, ornately carved wooden aspects, and unparalleled design. The building is one of a kind in the Caribbean and everywhere else.
After taking office, I took action to restore City Hall to its former glory. By that time, though, the once majestic structure was in a state of saddening disrepair following years of neglect.
After beginning efforts to restore the structure, I soon realised that the task would be a massive undertaking. Not for lack of will on the part of the Mayor and City Council, but rather, because there were political forces which were determined to undermine the interests of the people of Georgetown at any cost, even if that cost was the total loss of one of our country’s iconic structures. I realised that I would have to fight powerful political opponents to get the job done.
The battle to get renovation started has been long, difficult, and frustrating. That battle started in early 2019 shortly after I was elected.
I met with President Brigadier (ret’d) David Granger who shared my strong belief that action must be taken. He expressed his commitment to the restoration of City Hall to its former grandeur and glory. Unfortunately, the APNU+AFC administration was faced with a motion of no confidence in 2018, as such, the Granger government could not go to parliament to have renovation funds approved.
I thanked President Granger for his support, and I will — on behalf of the people of Georgetown — be forever grateful for the position taken by the APNU+AFC Coalition.
In August 2020 the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) took office. The actions of the PPP regime have demonstrated a complete departure from the position expressed by the Coalition administration.
On January 20, 2021, I wrote to President Mohammed Irfaan Ali appealing for the assistance of the government with the restoration of the building. I pointed out that the European Union had completed a comprehensive report for the M&CC that facilities a Restoration and Sustainable Management Plan. I reminded His Excellency that the structure had become dilapidated, deplorable, and unsafe.
President Ali did not respond to my letter.
On March 22, 2021, my team and I from the M&CC paid a courtesy call to the president and his team.
During that meeting, I raised the matter of the restoration of City Hall at least twice.
The first time I mentioned it, President Ali seemed to have little interest in the matter. In fact, he gave no assurances at all about looking into the issue.
So, I insisted on bringing up the matter again later at that same meeting. On my second attempt to talk about the renovation, I pointed out that the central government owed more than 1 billion dollars in Rates (and taxes) to the Municipality of Georgetown. I suggested that the M&CC is willing to offset the money owed to the municipality provided that the Central Government sees to it that City Hall is renovated.
Fellow Citizens, that suggestion indicates how strongly the M&CC feels about City Hall; that is how deeply we are committed to ensuring the preservation of the historic landmark.
However, even though the president indicated he will consider the matter, no action was taken by the central government.
On May 14, 2021, I wrote to His Excellency again. I appealed for assistance again. I reminded him of our meeting. And I stated that renovations can no longer be delayed because the building is falling apart. In my letter I included photographs of the crumbling structure and invited him to visit the historic site.
Fellow citizens, it was only after that last letter — with the frightening photographs — that the PPP Government finally made some funds available.
My Guyanese, I wish to underscore an important point; it is not central government’s money that is being used to fix City Hall; it is money which is owed to the people of Georgetown by the Central Government. It is the people’s money.
There is no excuse for the delay by the PPP regime. City Hall is a historic landmark. Often called “the most picturesque structure in Georgetown,” the stunning edifice was completed in 1889.
The foundation stone was laid at the Northeast corner of the building along with a glass jar containing original documents related to the edifice, copies of newspapers of British Guiana, and coins of that period of our history.
It is the position of the M&CC that City Hall must be fully renovated to all its glory and maintained for the sake of history. It will be beneficial for all our Citizens and for the enjoyment of future generations.
