Beautification interventions continue in Georgetown

─ as clean-up campaign taken to Water Street

As part of a collaborative effort to continue enhancing communities across Guyana, ranks from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and workers of the Ministry of Public Works on Thursday cleaned the area along the intersection of Church and Water Streets, Georgetown.

The clean-up has helped to improve the overall attractiveness of the area. 

Speaking with DPI Thursday, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar underscored that these efforts complement President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s National Beautification Project to enhance various parts of the country.

“So, we started at Water Street at the roundabout area which was left unkept. The trees were growing and garbage was thrown there…So, we started there to clean up the trees, to deal with the garbage, to tidy up the area.”

Minister Indar said plans are underway to construct concrete pavement blocks along the median on Water Street.

He said the enhancement will continue along Regent Street, including parts of Georgetown that have roundabouts, “we are going to beautify the place…We’re doing this across the country. This is in addition to what has been happening to the railway embankment, Station Street, Saffron Street, Middleton Street, and Vlissengen road to the Kitty Roundabout.”

He said many job opportunities will arise from the initiative for residents within the communities such as Tiger Bay.

“To help with the silting of the drains… and other communities that we go into, we will try and hire people from the community to assist with the cleaning up.”

He said a maintenance plan will be put into place for the areas. 

“We do a lot of clean-up exercise and the next day; people go to throw garbage on the seawall or the streets.”

To help ensure the areas stay clean, the minister said Guyanese must have a more progressive attitude toward the environment, “we have to do our part.”

As part of President Ali’s plans to enhance the environment, Minister Indar highlighted, Homestretch Avenue will also be cleaned.

“We have to clean the trenches. We have to do something along the Botanical Gardens there. The President has instructed us to do something nice there. First, we have to clear the under bushing. It has a lot of bushes there. We have to clean up the bushes there. And then, we have to put in a nice promenade in that area.”

This will be another beautification project to be added to the portfolio within the area.

The National Beautification Project places strong emphasis on the control and oversight of any unauthorised alteration to the public areas’ landscape or neighbourhood attractiveness.

Through the initiative, the government aims to craft its ‘One Guyana,’ agenda to build the spirit of community among citizens.