First Lady, Arya Ali on Monday afternoon hosted Carl Melville – the man who lost his job due to COVID-19 and started cleaning the seawalls from the bandstand to the Marriot Hotel, every day without expecting a reward.
First Lady Arya Ali and Carl Melville at State House on Monday
According to a Department of Public Information report, Melville was accompanied to the State House by activist Don Singh. Singh had posted Melville’s story on social media stating that because of the difficulties posed by COVID-19 and other factors, Carl lost his job and was left homeless. He subsequently found himself living and sleeping on the seawall in Georgetown.
Rather than spending time pitying himself or engaging in unproductive activities, Melville embarked on a humanitarian mission to clean the entire stretch of the seawall; from the bandstand to the Marriot Hotel, every day without expecting a reward. According to the report, efforts by concerned citizens led to Melville securing a job, a place to stay, and is given time off by his employer to continue his clean-up exercise daily.
The First Lady, the report stated, was moved by Melville’s story and wanted to commend him personally, and to contribute, in a practical way, to his ongoing efforts.
For the First Lady, Melville’s spirit and determination, and that of the citizens who reached out to him, is a manifestation of what this beautiful country can truly accomplish if we all work together.
Meanwhile, over the next five years, the First Lady plans to champion, among other initiatives, a Scenic Conservation Project which will help to safeguard the scenic qualities of Guyana’s roadways, urban spaces, and countryside, while simultaneously creating a more environmentally-friendly society.
The First Lady believes that scenic revitalisation can serve to encourage, and fast-track, community renewal and reinvestment as part of a larger economic development plan.
