Le Repentir Cemetery: M&CC’s neglect forces burials in roadways – Edghill

…says restoration works to begin soon

Revealing that persons have resorted to burying their dead in the paths of the road due to City Council’s neglect of the Le Repentir cemetery, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill has revealed that the government has a plan for the upgrade of roads and other infrastructure in Guyana’s most famous cemetery.
Edghill was at the time responding to a motion brought by Opposition Parliamentarian Volda Lawrence during a sitting of the National Assembly on Monday, calling for bipartisan support to rehabilitate the cemetery. During the siting, however, the minister described the shocking state of affairs in the Le Repentir Cemetery.

“When I told you, one of the things happening right now is because whether it’s the parlors or family members, because of the vegetation that existed, only as a result of the neglect of the Mayor and City Council, people are now burying the dead in the paths of the road. And that is what I’m calling tomb squatting,” Edghill explained.
According to Edghill, however, even before this motion was brought by the opposition, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has spent billions on improving the city, including the Le Repentir cemetery.
“Since we came to office, with the understanding that Georgetown needed a renewal and Georgetown needed to be rehabilitated in several different ways, we have spent just on the main access roads, including the access roads contiguous to the Le Repentir cemetery, for the enhancement of Georgetown and bringing dignity to the living… we’ve already expended almost $20 billion in the improvement of Georgetown.”
Then there is the matter of the $6.4 Billion in rates and taxes owed to City Hall by a company linked to the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R).
Then there is the issue of the $6.4 billion in outstanding rates and taxes owed to City Hall by a company associated with the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R).
According to Edghill, based on their estimates only a fraction of that amount is needed to complete upgrade works on the cemetery.
“The honourable member, Ms. Lawrence, is asking that we take care of the drains, the roads and I would want to add, lights. Our estimates that we’re working with, if the company that is the holding company for Congress place pays its rates and taxes, I only need $1.3 Billion out of that $6.4 Billion.”
“And we will get all the work done in Le Repentir… $1.3 Billion out of the $6.4 Billion to deal with all of the main roads and all of the cross streets and all of the drains. We have the estimates and we’re working on it,” Edghill explained.
Edghill further assured that work will be starting very soon on the cemetery, done by the residents of surrounding areas themselves. According to the Minister, these residents will receive small contracts to do concrete roads in the cemetery.
“Mr Speaker, the six main roads between the cemetery from east to west direction, these roads give access to the cemetery. They will be rehabilitated. Thirteen cross streets, minor roads that run perpendicular to the main road, these cross streets will give further access to areas within the cemetery.”
“And there are four footpaths that run within the cross streets. These foot paths will provide further access to the cemetery. And all are part of our urban rehabilitation programme for the development of Georgetown and the cemetery being part of that.”

Incompetence
Meanwhile, in her presentation to the national assembly, Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Sonia Parag spoke about the incompetence of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council and its mismanagement of projects.
“If this government is going to invest into this city and we have been, we’re going to ensure that the implementation of projects, is managed by the government. Because, we cannot trust, from the breach and mismanagement of the financial act, and the finances of the city council, we cannot have confidence that they will execute these projects,” Parag said.
Parag cited the example of the $100 Million Le Repentir clean up that occurred under the then A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) government. She noted that the entire scope of works for the project weren’t even completed, with the PPP/C government having to ensure its completion after entering office in 2020.
“So, Mr Speaker, how can this government and how can the people of Guyana trust that when they say they have $100 Million, up to todays date the scope of works for that $100 Million cannot be executed, how can we trust and have confidence in them? You cannot.”
Located in lands immediately south of Princes Street, Wortmanville, this burial ground has, for many years, been overcrowded by tombstones, and tombs have been overtaken by bushes, among other issues it currently faces.