Dear Editor,
I remember the days when Georgetown was proudly referred to as the GARDEN CITY. Regretfully, sadly and unfortunately, today, and for the past thirty or so years, it has descended into being the GARBAGE CITY, and is being referred to as such by locals, visitors and foreigners.
I recently had to go to someone at 322 New Market Street, North Cummingsburg Georgetown – located, incidentally, immediately opposite the GEORGETOWN PUBLIC HOSPITAL, and I was appalled at the garbage and stench emanating from the vacant lot adjacent to the building I had to visit. It is obviously a dumping ground for garbage from the various stands that now form part of the landscape of not only this part of Georgetown, but most of the area, where there are opportunities to make a “quick dollar” regardless, and with absolutely no consideration for the health and safety of persons who HAVE to frequent those areas.
There is a proliferation of what I consider to be both permanent and “makeshift” structures selling from food to items needed by patients in the hospital, and I dare say anything in between.
I saw, a few weeks ago, very high-level publicity of a “clean-up campaign” led by no other than His Excellency the President in the City of Georgetown, and this was followed by other clean-up campaigns spearheaded by high-level functionaries in the Government in other areas of Guyana.
Unfortunately, the “other side” of the political scenario felt it convenient to boycott that commendable effort and, what some considered was out of shame, did their own semi-cleanup soon after. Both campaigns, according to popular opinion, went “to waste”, with absolutely no pun intended.
Are the City Council and the Pandit Mayor (and their predecessors, including the ELDER Hamilton Green, under whose Mayorship this deterioration started) unaware of what Georgetown has become? Are these persons not ashamed to know that they are presiding over a city that is STINKING, and is willingly a prime participant for an epidemic waiting to happen?
As I’ve said and written before, I am of the opinion that the City Council as presently constituted has proven itself to be incapable of solving not only this problem, but other equally important matters of the City, and I call upon the Government to seriously consider the appointment of an Interim Management Council, as was done in the past, to properly manage the city.
In the interim, I hope that this letter “catches the eye” of someone in authority, so that the garbage dump opposite the Georgetown Public Hospital can immediately be relocated to its proper place, in the interest of those who live and frequent that area.
It would be extremely easy to find and prosecute dumping violators in this and other areas, but ONLY if there is the will to do so.
Regards,
Harry N Nawbatt
