We should do nothing to reduce open spaces in Georgetown

We seemed to be embroiled with another contentious matter about the rights and wrongs of the Qatari Hotel. This could have been avoided if there was prior appropriate consultations and discussions with interested persons and agencies. First, I saw the City Engineer’s letter published on Wednesday March 13, 2024. I have no difficulties with its contents since the engineer is carrying out his duties in a professional manner. However, there are issues beyond the niceties of ownership of the land in question. Mere ownership of land does not give that owner the right to do as he or she cares ignoring historical, environmental and other factors. I leave this to persons with the competence for research but for our own knowledge, I pose the following.

First, is it right and proper to utilise areas used by the Guyana National Service, the St. Stanislaus ground and other agencies. Second, you have in this area two major international hotels, the Pegasus and Marriott sitting on the knees of our Police headquarters. Is it a good thing to box in our Police Headquarters with another large hotel? Third, in the area there is already an educational institution. Will this have a negative or a positive effect on this school? There is of course the question of traffic in this area. Fourth, what with the Everest Sports Club nearby? Finally, at the instance of the PPP Government, one of the better known Town Planners, came to Guyana expressly to look at the development of our Capital City, Georgetown which was already on the brink of insanity. Discussions were held with all of the security agencies, government corporations and ministries and the Greater Georgetown Development Plan was prepared and accepted by the Government and the Municipality during the tenure of my Mayoralty.

One aspect that emerged out of the wide ranging discussion is that we should do nothing to reduce public open spaces in Georgetown because we need a capital to breathe and be dutiful. We should do nothing to frustrate development but as we see here and elsewhere, development can be a two-sided sword that on the one hand, brings progress but damages the environment, and takes away from the natural beauty given to us by the Creator. I always recount an observation by Henri Kirke, M.A., B.C.L, and Sheriff of Demerara when he observed this piece from his book “Twenty-Five years in British Guiana”. Even though time does not stand still, he wrote as follows about Georgetown: “The city is embowered in trees: its aspect from the top of the lighthouse is of a sea of palms, out of which rise at intervals towers, spires and campanile. For a great part of the year, the flamboyant trees make your eyes ache with the gorgeousness of their scarlet flowers, whilst in September October, the long-johns break the sky line with their rich cream-coloured plumes, changing week by week to a real burnt sienna.” Let us do what we can to make Georgetown a place of beauty.