The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has made headway in getting some city businesses to allow access to major alleyways to ensure the cleaning and maintenance of the drainage system.
Town Clerk Royston King told Stabroek News that the Discount Store on Regent Street and Muneshwers Limited at Water and Church streets have handed over keys to gates to alleyways that were fenced off.
King encouraged other businesses to follow the example of the two companies and allow access to the alleyways for cleaning and maintenance.
He also said there are lots of businesses that block the alleyways with solid blocks and large structures, which prevent the council from conducting its work.
In many instances the drains and alleyways are blocked with garbage and cannot be accessed by the workers for cleaning, King noted, while urging businesses to hand over the gate keys to the city or else the M&CC would be forced to take action and break the structures.
Last month, King had sent out letters to businesses in Georgetown that have fenced reserves, parapets and alleyways asking them to surrender keys to those areas. Blockages of drains and alleyways are seen as contributing factors to severe flooding in several city areas after heavy rainfall.
King yesterday said that there would be no compromising for anyone and if permission was given in the past to have large gates block the alleyways, it is now rescinded.
He also pointed out that several businesses have compromised the drainage system of Georgetown. “[We] cannot allow any one person to compromise the drainage system that would affect all,” he stated.
The M&CC has been ramping up its efforts to restore Georgetown to its previous status as the “Garden City” and through its “Clean and Green” campaign.
