Clean-up crucial to boosting tourism – Minister Edghill

With the Guyana Cricket Carnival underway and hosting of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on home soil, government on Sunday continued its clean-up campaign, with focus on the capital city.

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill led members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force (GPF) and other civil society groups on a cleaning up exercise in the Mandela to Eccles Access Road area.

He emphasised the importance of the exercise, especially since Guyana is hosting the Cricket Carnival and Hero CPL Finals. He noted that a clean environment would have a multiplier effect in boosting tourism and facilitating increased job opportunities for Guyanese.

Members of the civil society groups were divided into teams and tackled various areas of Georgetown including Bourda Market, Cemetery Road, Homestretch Avenue and North Road.

This is part of an ongoing initiative by government to facilitate a cleaner, greener Guyana.

“It’s about the cleaning up, beautification and enhancement of our communities. We’re going to have hundreds, if not thousands of people coming into this country. They should think well of us. We must showcase Guyana as a major tourism destination,” Minister Edghill stated.

He said a collaborative effort is crucial in ensuring the city remains clean.

“We at the Ministry of Public Works have a number of small contractors who are engaged in maintenance of road shoulders, such as the weeding and cleaning on a monthly basis. But what is required is more than just what the contractors can do. We need a change of culture, and a buy-in from the general citizens. This is our Guyana. We should take care of the environment and desist from just dumping and practice proper disposal of garbage,” he urged.

Minister Edghill also appealed to the local authority areas, and the private sector to get involved.

“This must be a people-driven initiative to keep our country beautiful and clean. As Guyanese, we should embrace the non-political One Guyana concept.”

Lieutenant Colonel Julian Archer spearheaded a portion of the activity on the Mandela-Eccles four-lane highway, with 31 persons from all sections of the Guyana Defence Force.

“As part of beautifying the country, we want it to look good. When persons come here, they must have a very good view of Guyana. This activity today is also in keeping with our role as the Guyana Defence Force, to contribute to the economic development of the country, since a clean environment is good for tourism,” he noted.

The clean-up campaign was also guided and supported by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, who is performing the duties of the President, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, and Chief of Staff Brigadier Godfrey Bess.