– President Ali says aim is to promote family spaces in city
President Dr Irfaan Ali’s plans to transform the entire Lamaha reserve into a “Guyana Walk” as part of his urban renewal initiative, have started taking shape with preparatory works being undertaken.
The project will see a paved walkway being constructed along the reverse, lined with plants and flowers. The plans also include the rehabilitation and transformation of the old train station at Main and Lamaha Streets into a “Guyanese Railway Promenade” which will also house a local food court, as well as an art and culture section featuring local arts and crafts by Guyanese artists.
This initiative is being spearheaded by the Public Works Ministry and is being executed in two phases with the first being from Main to Camp Streets, and then onwards to Vlissengen Road in the second phase.
President Dr Irfaan Ali in discussions with contractors and other officials at the site
Preparatory works along that section of the Lamaha reserve already commenced over a week ago. The area has been cleared of debris and levelled. A foundation of sand has been laid.
On Sunday, President Ali visited the location to inspect ongoing works.
Speaking about the project, he told a social media commentator that the aim behind this initiative is to promote “good family spaces” around the capital city that are safe, not only from a security perspective but also from an environmental view. This, he noted, will spark a new sense of love for the environment.
“When this development is completed, it will be a safe zone. It will have security features; public walk zones. You will have a family-oriented space in which you can walk… from Main Street… all the way down [eastwards].”
Simultaneously, President Ali pointed out that other areas around Georgetown have also been identified – such as Durey Lane and the seawall, among others – to be transformed into family zones as well.
According to the Head of State, this transformation will be replicated throughout the country in the various regions “in which we are going to create safe spaces, environmentally-friendly spaces, beautifying the environment and uplifting the spirits of people.”
Works underway at the Lamaha reserve
In line with his commitment to urban renewal, President Ali had announced in his New Year’s message that his Government intends to lead a national resurgence of sustained public cleanliness that promotes environmental health across the country.
To this end, the President led the commencement of a massive two-day clean-up exercise throughout Georgetown on Saturday. The initiative was supported by the Joint Services, Private Sector, the diplomatic corps, and civil society members.
Addressing media operatives on Saturday, the Head of State pointed out that the multi-stakeholder approach sends the message that the responsibility resides in everyone to make a difference.
On this note, the President slammed persons for using the capital city as a dumping ground for garbage and signalled new measures that will be taken to hold errant persons accountable for such actions.
Ali, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, announced enhanced Police presence and the introduction of surveillance cameras at sites where people continuously dump garbage or deface the country.
Speaking on the prevalence of litterbugs, the President chided, “They have no regard for the environment, for each one of us that lives in this country, because it becomes a public health issue. It’s time we start calling people out. While the Police will be out here, the Government will be working on cameras to be installed at specific locations because some of it is deliberate in action also.”
The Government initiated this initiative to ensure drastic changes are made to the capital city, to leave a better Guyana for the next generation.
“We all grew up seeing things that we want to change. Now, all Guyanese are actually part of the change that we want to see. This multi-stakeholder approach is to send a message that the responsibility resides in all of us to make a difference and we’ve started cleaning up the city itself,” the President told media operatives.
Saturday’s efforts saw the cleaning of illegal dumpsites, vacant lots being used for illegal dumping, transporting the garbage collected to landfills, and the weeding and raking of parapets.
These continued on Sunday with the clearing of clogged drains around the city’s commercial zones as well as along the seawall. In addition to cleaning up, volunteers also spruced up the Camp Street avenue.
