Same old at City Hall
It is a new year, but it seems to be the same old, same old, at City Hall in Georgetown. Why are property owners subjected to having to trundle down to the Mayor’s Complex and sit in the yard playing musical chairs for almost an hour, next to a putrid latrine before being allowed to pay their property rates? In an era where online payments are commonplace, it raises questions about the city’s adoption of modern, user-friendly systems and technologies that could offer greater convenience. The alarming issue of garbage dumping within the City Hall compound reflects a lack of surveillance and raises concerns about the overall cleanliness of our city. Implementing security cameras could serve as a deterrent and aid in identifying and penalizing those responsible for such actions, contributing to a cleaner environment for all residents.
While the national budget has been read and is set for debate, the absence of information regarding the city’s budget is disconcerting. Transparency in financial matters is crucial, and the public deserves insight into the city’s fiscal plans, ideally well before October as was the case last year. In contrast to national law enforcement’s commendable efforts to modernize, with the procurement of helicopters, fast boats and the building of a 12-storey new Brickdam Police Station all as part of modernizing and optimizing the operations of the Guyana Police Force, the state of the City Constabulary’s Training Complex on Water Street is alarming as continues to lie in ruins, stripped of all fixtures and fittings and seeming to have been pillaged by social rejects. Addressing the neglect and disrepair of this vital facility should be prioritized to enhance the effectiveness of our city’s law enforcement.
Modern shopping malls and supermarkets are going up all around the country, whilst the city cannot even keep the clocks ticking at the markets, all of which are just a public health and safety nightmare with huge rats running around and well-known pickpockets and other criminal elements fencing stolen goods ‘under the clock’ in the full view of everyone in the vicinity. Cemetery Road is being completely rebuilt whilst the cemetery is competing with the Amazon as the best-known rainforest. The Stone Depot has no stones to repair the roads or bridges, the Day Care Centres continue to be shuttered leaving working parents with the dilemma of what to do with their infants whilst at work.
Georgetown’s potential for growth and prosperity is immense, and it is essential that efforts be concentrated on transforming it into a capital befitting the nation’s economic boom. A unified commitment by both the administration and the city’s political directorate to addressing these issues will undoubtedly contribute to a more vibrant and thriving city for all. Sincerely,
Magagula Jackson