Dear Editor,
I find it amusing that the city council’s Town Clerk along with probably the world’s longest serving Mayor, have at last found their voices. Two crucial areas of public interest are the suspension of vending along a section of Merriman Mall, and the deposit of sludge in the canals, concerning which Town Clerk Royston King had expressed concern. How long has Mr King been employed by the M&CC? Vending on the Merriman Mall has been going on for decades now, likewise the depositing of sludge in the canals. By the way, wasn’t revenue generated from vending on the Merriman Mall? As a consequence, was money ever set aside for sanitation?
Meanwhile to designate the Merriman Mall between Cummings Street and Orange Walk a recreation facility, is nonsensical. The rectangular area, inclusive of the skating rink, cannot accommodate a full-sized basketball or volleyball court, much less the basic amenities to seat spectators, a scorer and a referee. Wouldn’t it have been more sensible to rehabilitate the existing run-down infrastructure of the Burnham courts (basketball and volleyball); and Parade and St Stephen’s grounds, along with those that fall directly under the auspices of the M&CC?
If there is no revenue from vending, where would additional monies emanate from for maintenance?
In relation to the build-up of sludge, it’s the result of filtres being washed on a nightly basis, and the waste from the process being then discharged into the city’s drainage system. When I was an employee way back in the ʼ70s, sludge was deposited in the drainage system from the washing of filtres and the periodical de-sludging of the sedimentation tanks. This had to be known to the M&CC, which at the time was responsible for the collection of water rates from the Georgetown Sewerage &Water Commissioners. However, it’s extremely good to hear that a recycling process will be done shortly, to reuse the waste water. Hats off to the recently appointed CEO of GWI, Dr Richard Van West Charles, for this timely innovation. Why the sludge was never diverted into the sewerage system over the decades is anyone’s guess.
By the way, does the M&CC have the technical expertise to erect a basketball and volleyball court on the Merriman Mall? Since the erection of two basketball backboards, marking with proper paint is necessary, along with the requirements for volleyball. Would two changing rooms, in addition to a sanitary block be constructed, now that the sun is about to set on Mayor Hamilton Green’s tenure?
The restoration of the Parade Ground would benefit the schoolchildren from St John’s College, Christ Church, Bishops, St George’s, St Agnes and private schools in the area, and should be made a front-burner issue. This is especially the case given the reintroduction of physical education to the school curriculum. For over two decades the ground was left in a poor state, compliments of the M&CC. For a few years heavy duty equipment for the Miners Week of Activities was displayed there, and the council used to garner revenue from this.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
