Mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Green said yesterday that the city’s plans to establish a recycling plant have been dashed by government, which recently granted land promised to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to the National Sports Council.
Speaking at a press conference in the City Hall chamber, Green said he had learnt that Attorney General Anil Nandlall had served notices to two persons who are occupying the land, situated along Mandela Avenue, just north of the Sussex Street canal and east of the boundaries of Le Repentir Cemetery.
“This represents another brutal move by the present PPP/C administration and we will resist it in every way we can,” Green said.
He explained that the proposal to set up the recycling plant was made by Cevon’s Waste Management and it was suggested that this would have helped the council to curb the crisis of garbage in the city. “It’s a facility to help us in Georgetown with the problem we have with solid waste where people have to travel eight miles to Haags Bosch, which has its own challenges and difficulties and ridiculous conditions,” he said.
Green recalled that some years ago the council acquired the large portion of land behind what was then known as “the bond”. He said that area was developed into a public swimming pool known as the Luckhoo swimming pool, named after then mayor, Lionel Luckhoo. That swimming pool, Green pointed out, had some structural problems and it was decided by a subsequent administration that it would be discontinued.
Subsequently, he said, council received proposals from several persons, including internationally-known Guyanese singer Eddy Grant, who wanted to develop the area into a cultural complex and to enhance the environment. “We looked at his proposal favourably. When the government, under the then Bharrat Jagdeo administration, heard of our intention to have this plan developed, he called me in and said that he must put the matter on hold because there was a bigger project coming up. In spite of my curiosity, I had no idea what this bigger plan was or could be. Subsequently, as it is now public knowledge, he talked about this issue, this absurdity, of the Marriot Hotel,” the mayor said.
According to Green, an agreement was struck with the government that the land would be given up in exchange for land east of Le Repentir Cemetery and north of the Sussex Street canal. “It appears as though there has been some kind of manipulation,” he said.
Green considered the government to be unwilling to respect the people of Guyana and further called on the members of parliament, and in particular, the opposition parties, to deal with this and other issues. “I want the opposition, which is the majority to look into it so that Guyana does not slide into a state of bullyism and corruption and dictatorship,” Green added.
He said he intends proposing to the opposition over the next few days “a process of civil disobedience. It appears as though this government is unwilling to accept the norms of dialogue and that only heightened action can bring it to its senses.” .
Meanwhile, the Mayor said, he has met with a group of vendors, including hat vendors, and among their issues are requests for longer operating periods during the Christmas season. This, he said, would have to be further discussed before a decision to give permission is made. “They currently operate from 6 am to 6 pm. I would have to look at this issue… It’s not an issue of being removed. They want to operate beyond 6 o’ clock, the time given to them and that has a lot of complications and implications. I don’t want to give the green light without checking with all the other concerned entities,” he told vendors gathered for the meeting yesterday.
Green pointed out that so far they have notified those vending that there should be no new vendors and that the area must be kept clean.
“Once again, we find the government operators wanting to intervene in what essentially is municipality matters in defiance of the law and spirit of local government. They don’t want local government particularly in a community like Georgetown which they will never control,” the mayor further stated in discussing the issue of vendors.
