Dear Editor,
In a section of the media, it was said that President Ali’s vision to turn Georgetown into a sustainable “Garden City”, was warmly received by the Tourism & Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), and the plan is seen as a major step towards enhancing the city’s appeal and liveability, fine words, but allow me to add this caveat; First, there seem to be no consultation with the municipal authority responsible for the city of Georgetown. Failure to consult is a breach of the essence of a viable democracy.
Second, change is always possible; not to forget that when Professor Akbar Khan, a renowned town planner, spent several months and consulted all the relevant agencies, and produced a thorough report, accepted by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), it is now history that the then Central PPP government frustrated every effort to implement the recommendations intended to streamline and modernise the city.
I avoid the tedium of details but what follows are the ungarnished facts; after provoking a decent citizen, the late Campton Young a practicing christian, who resigned, since as he said to me, he could not take the torment by the central government. The PPP then installed an interim management committee (IMC) under what law, of course, is another matter.
When the 1994 local government elections were announced the out-going chairman Dr Rose, stated that even if the city collected all monies, based under present regulations, these would be insufficient to provide a satisfactory service for Georgetown, that stretched from Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara to Agricola East Bank Demerara (where the two arches are).
When I was elected the Mayor, I accepted this wisdom of the PPP appointed chairman and proposed an establishment of a lottery to increase revenues. We provided details to the President and Government, the matter was referred to Mr Samuel Hinds who was, at that time Prime Minister, and carried out the functions of Head of State. I headed a delegation including the Town Clerk, the late Robert Williams, Philomena Sahoye-Shury (PPP), C.M.L. John and Ramesh Kissoon.
We presented a case seeking permission to establish a lottery to increase our revenue. After a pause in the discussions to allow Mr. Hinds, as he said to consult others, he returned to the meeting and stated that the Government could not support a lottery because, in his exact words; “the religious community will be up in arms”. Within a few months the lottery was up and running and all off the profits going to the central government and not one cent to the Georgetown M&CC, whose idea it was. Sam Hinds is alive, and he can attest to the accuracy of my statement.
Without being narcissistic in the 90’s I was known and called “action Green” but every effort every initiative was frustrated by the PPP government including the simple matter of increasing the fines for municipal offenses, littering, etc. And that those fines should go directly to the council, even proposed a municipal court. The fact that the Ministry of Local Government installed unqualified persons to key positions many of them in turn ignored decisions of the M&CC and routinely carry out the wishes of the Minister responsible for Local Government.
I have dealt with this matter ad nauseum but hope that change of attitude by the government will see implementation of the report. I’m an optimist and rely on the quote by Alexander Pope; Hope springs eternal in the human breast, so I say no more.
Yours truly,
Hamilton Green
Elder
