The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) appears to be on a renewed mission to “rescue” Georgetown and overhaul its urban infrastructure. However, critics warn this sudden interest in local governance is politically calculated and could pave the way for the imposition of Interim Management Committees (IMCs)—a strategy historically used to take control of towns and Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) that the PPP/C does not politically dominate.
Ironically, this comes after the PPP/C itself spent more than two decades (prior to May 2015) dismantling the very local government system it now claims to champion. During its previous tenure, the PPP/C administration was accused of starving Local Democratic Organs (LDOs) of funding and legitimacy. Business owners were allegedly encouraged to withhold property tax payments to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), while state entities such as Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) reportedly refused to honour their own tax obligations to City Hall.
In stark contrast, following the PPP/C’s 2015 electoral defeat, President David Granger made history with a 2016 visit to City Hall—the first such visit by a sitting president in over 20 years. Granger acknowledged the severe neglect of the city and emphasised that urban renewal required “cooperation between central government and the council, and between the council and citizens.” His remarks came at a time when local governance had become almost non-functional due to a two-decade-long absence of Local Government Elections (LGEs) under the PPP/C.
Under the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government, efforts to rebuild the local governance system gained traction. Local Government Elections were restored, and long-neglected areas like Bartica, Lethem, Mahdia, and Mabaruma were granted township status to foster economic growth and decentralise service delivery. The administration hosted two National Conferences of Local Democratic Organs (NCLDOs), bringing together local officials from both PPP/C- and APNU+AFC-controlled municipalities. However, PPP/C councillors were reportedly directed not to attend, highlighting persistent political resistance to bipartisan cooperation.
To bypass elected councils, the previous PPP/C government had also installed Community Development Councils (CDCs)—parallel structures that undermined constitutional local government bodies and denied them critical funding. This model of top-down governance is seen by many as a precursor to the re-emergence of IMCs, which allow central government to override the will of local electorates and install party-aligned operatives in power.
During its tenure, the APNU+AFC also focused on physical rehabilitation and urban maintenance. Then-Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson led nationwide efforts to clear silted canals, restore sluices, and rehabilitate roads, working closely with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA). These interventions transformed the visual and functional landscape of Georgetown and several other municipalities, allowing residents to enjoy cleaner, more navigable environments.
But upon returning to office in 2020, the PPP/C has been criticised for slipping back into old habits. The devastating 2021 floods—especially in Berbice, Linden, Kwakwani, Mahdia, Pomeroon, and Georgetown—exposed the consequences of neglecting drainage and local infrastructure. The administration had to activate the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to distribute emergency relief and cash handouts to affected farmers. Images of overwhelmed pumps, blocked canals, and flooded communities went viral, and President Irfaan Ali’s early-morning visit to a pump station in Region Four became symbolic of what some saw as political optics amid administrative failure.
Now, under the banner of urban revitalisation, the PPP/C is once again setting its sights on Georgetown. But with talk of IMCs quietly re-emerging, concerns are mounting that the party may attempt to dissolve opposition-led councils and replace them with centrally appointed committees under the pretext of “efficiency” and “development.”
Civil society organisations and political observers are calling for vigilance. They argue that true revitalisation requires respect for constitutional governance, not political manoeuvring. If the PPP/C is genuinely committed to serving the people, it must partner with elected councils regardless of political affiliation—not override them through questionable administrative means.
Ultimately, if democracy is to have real meaning at the grassroots level, local government autonomy must be preserved. Any move to install Interim Management Committees in opposition-held areas would not only threaten democratic norms but also risk further polarizing the country’s already fragile political climate.
