I have always considered myself a tourist in my own country. I go overseas and I boast about Guyana. I scorn Guyanese who would change their accents or talk bad about the country. I laugh at others who don’t know about our history, yet can sing parts of the “Star Spangled Banner”. Again, I say, I always considered myself a tourist in my own country. Why? Some call it foolishness. I call it optimism.
My favourite place to walk in the city is from Stabroek Market, along the Avenue of the Republic. Only there is where I feel the real colonial past of Georgetown, walking in time through this 200 year old City as it now bustles with modernity while paying tribute to its cultural heritage.
The ‘Garden City’ as it was nicknamed takes its canals from the Netherlands, it’s streets from England and it’s proud people from just about everywhere else.
I say proud people because one thing about Georgetown is that we get up and get. Things aren’t handed to us on a silver platter so from sunrise to sunset the city is abuzz. We work extra hard to keep up with the world economy.
My second favourite place to walk in GT is under the trees of Main Street. I love the Bank of Guyana junction, the cenotaph in the middle, the National Library and Guyana Stores’ artistic walls on the corner.
What I am basically saying is that I live here almost all my life but every time I see these places and sites my heart lights up as if it is the very first time I am seeing them. I love the city. I love Georgetown more than anywhere in the country. Because of its colonial and diversified past, it is the heart of Guyana’s struggles and the icon of our freedom.
But we have a major problem; a problem no city should bear. Garbage!!! An urbanized area has no place for garbage. This can cause major problems and outbreaks of viruses and diseases. The 2005 Great Floods was the perfect example.
Point blank this is the only thing I loathe about Georgetown. And I’m a tourist; we frown on things like this. The question is who really is to blame… is it the people or the government? Most Georgetownesians (my nickname for the folks of GT) blame the government for lack of resources and disorganisation but mostly we ‘outsiders’ blame the people of the city.
I don’t see the government throwing garbage on the streets and bottles in the canals. What the government and business places should do is invest in cleaning up the city thoroughly then educate the people about the environment. After that, place strict implementation on the laws of littering.
It’s as simple as this, instead of waiting for someone else to pick up an empty bottle laying on the road in front your house; wouldn’t it be easier if you yourself pick it up? If everyone did this then the whole city would look a little better; same can be said for cutting your front parapets and gardening more.
The government still has the biggest role in cleaning, maintaining and educating. We all can help do something as big as clean a city by doing something as little and collectively as picking up surrounding litter.
Help this tourist and many more to see the pride of the Garden City, the City of Georgetown.
(Jairo Rodrigues)
