Dear Editor,
The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is extremely grateful for you, granting us space in your newspaper. The Municipality is compelled to regularly interact and more than ever inform the public on the plans and actions slated for the City of Georgetown and its development. Giving consideration that there is now a new Directing Board at the M&CC, there are a number of pivotal moves that are being made based upon new and existing Council decisions and policies.
It was initially felt by some, genuine or other, that the M&CC had not returned its commitment to Georgetown. Even in the earliest stage of the Council’s political freedom some charged corruption, poor service and a massive cleanup effort that lacked a strategic maintenance programme and was being done only for the Local Government Elections (LGE).
These utterances cannot be any further from the truth. The M&CC team has been able to significantly advance against a once filthy, garbage packed, crime-infested, traffic lawless environment. Accepting that there is still much more to be done in every area, the Municipality is also working on the health, confidence and morale of its citizens through both physical and mental programmes that seek to boost self-esteem, while encouraging social development.
In terms of service, the Council is finally moving away from paper-based transactions. We all know what hindrances and difficulties were faced during that time. We now seek to make your information readily available for quick and easy transactions via the internet. You too are allowed to access your records from the comfort of your home or wherever a requisite device is available. For this reason, customers are reminded to have their TIN to aid in upgrading and ensuring the accuracy of their information.
We are aiming to boost our revenue to increase and provide better services and infrastructure. We would like to better cater to our elder folks and make all avenues available for the smooth flow of business for especially those on the go or those who may have stolen a few minutes out of their work time to transact their business.
Our Councilors have vowed to work tediously in fulfilling their tasks and have promised to return and increase vital services that are available to the public such as regular health inspections, community cleaning, better security and other activities. We have started staff training that will create a friendlier and easier business experience with Council. We continue to better remuneration and benefits to encourage greater staff production since they continuously complained in the past. Even our Constabulary ranks are in for change as they will now have to fulfill health standards to serve on the security force, and they will have to exhibit certain qualities under the rules and regulations that guide them.
It should be clear by now that proper drainage, clean and cleared gutters, canals, parapets etc. are of major concern to the Municipality. The Council knows that unkempt outflow facilities facilitate flooding, and has thus invested heavily in finance and manpower for cleaning, clearing and now maintenance.
We are restoring and revitalising all markets, recognised public vending areas and all open spaces to encourage increased socialisation and interaction among city dwellers. We are almost complete with the magnificently rehabilitated Kitty Market, while sophisticated plans for the still dilapidated and crowded Bourda and Stabroek Market wharf in particular, are still in the pipeline. Smaller locations such as the La Penitence Market, where the north-eastern face of the building is being extended and the ground raised to prevent flooding, are also being tended to.
Historical structures, monuments among other national treasures such as the Promenade Gardens, Parade Ground and the Non Aligned Monument are also being rehabilitated and respected.
All these facilities and creative ideas are manifesting with the view of promoting socialisation and unity, and at the same time returning the beauty of our city, the pride of our people and the glory of our nation.
There is no point in working hard to make Georgetown the best to rank any in the world if our citizens are unable to enjoy it. We are thus encouraging healthy, green lifestyles. Soon our bicycle riding programme will be rolled out, the encouragement of kitchen gardens and composting to reduce waste has already been made public.
It is our intent to roll out major mental health and fitness programmes too. We want to make our city a conducive commercial zone thus permitting easy income generation for citizens. We believe this will decrease the already perceived lack of zeal that has clouded our city for a very long time.
We want our citizens to be happy, healthy and fruitful; that means them having a healthy body, mind and spirit.
Yours faithfully,
Royston King
Town Clerk
