The upgrading of Georgetown Avenues was a vision launched under the leadership of former mayor Pt Ubraj Narine. Work began in 2021.
The plan aimed to enhance the city’s infrastructure, improve accessibility, and create a more vibrant and sustainable urban environment for residents and visitors alike.
Recognising the need to modernise and revitalise the city’s road network, Narine told Village Voice News, the goal of the Council was to seamlessly integrate the city’s rich cultural heritage, economic growth, and quality of life.
The upgrading of Georgetown avenues was aimed to be a transformative endeavor with far-reaching impacts, he assured.
Included in the city renovation was constructing and implementing state-of-the-art drainage systems to mitigate flooding risks and improve overall resilience. However, there is growing concern failure by the Government to recognition the importance and function of the city drainage in renovating the avenues they have comprised the drainage system.
Narine told this publication the Government, in renovating the avenues, has narrowed the drains which would not be able to take off the customary volume of water and as a consequence has failed to safeguard the mechanism to prevent flooding.
He warned the entire city is being compromised by what appears to be an improperly thought out plan by the Government. “This would affect businesses and homes when flooding hits the city” He said, while the avenues may look attractive, beauty must also take into consideration preservation of the environment through proper drainage and irrigation.
Referring to the Municipal and District Council Act Chapter 28:01, (Obstruction of Drains) Section 33 (a) to (d) which protects the drainage systems, the former mayor said the City Council should take the government to court for putting the city, residents and business at risk. Flooding has cost businesses and home owners tens of millions of dollars he stated and these are hard earned money and assets, he intoned.
Narine made clear while he supports the project of upgrading the avenues, which is a vision of the City Council, the Government must consult with the Mayor and City Council on these important infrastructures which are managed and controlled by the city council.
