The capital city of Georgetown is 235 years old with a rich and varied history which can be seen in the architectural structures still standing, some of which have been designated as heritage sites. Development has come to the city over the years, but for too long the development has been ad hoc and not a consequence of any grand vision articulated by the central and local governments.
Meanwhile the city, which houses the country’s main commercial, financial, and administrative centres, continues to attract large numbers of our young people looking to make an honest living, resulting in a daily trek by thousands of workers, farmers, traders, truckers, shoppers and so on into the city. This means that hundreds of cars, trucks, buses, and motor bikes also make the trek into the city, and even on the waterways, boats ply their trade to bring people and goods to the city of Georgetown.
The negative aspect of all this is that the physical infrastructure which facilitates this economic activity is often outdated, unregulated, in a state of disrepair, and/or time consuming to use. For instance, the two major roads that grant access into the city from the East Coast and the East Bank of the Demerara River are inadequate at peak periods and make the daily commute much more difficult than it would be if there were a network of roadways providing more access points into the city.
Every year thousands of motor vehicles are imported into the country with many of them being utilised within the city and its environs. Despite the application of a considerable tax on these, it does not appear as if the taxes garnered are used to enhance roads and facilities, such as making improvements in the existing system of traffic lights in terms of reaching into areas not currently serviced. Street lighting, signage and the creation and enhancement of medians all contribute to road safety and reduce accidents and damage to vehicles and the concomitant costs.
What seems to be missing in all this is an urban development plan that seeks to position the city of Georgetown for the overall advancement expected over a period perhaps of twenty years. Not that Guyana has a shortage of plans in this regard, even the National Development strategy paper speaks to “the establishment of a road network throughout the length and breadth of Guyana over the next ten years” and speaks quite intelligently about “a transport infrastructural strategy.” However, this strategy paper was never implemented.
As far as the capital proper was concerned, there was the Greater Georgetown Development Plan, drafted by Indian town planning expert, Prof Akhtar Khan in 2002. In terms of traffic congestion, it proposed among other things, the re-routing of vehicles, three minibus termini for the city, bus routes and a parking plan. Then there was the new four-lane road he recommended, with another lane as a bypass for the East Bank, West Bank and West Coast. There was also the suggestion of roundabouts. Needless to say, none of this was ever implemented, at least partly because of the at best ambivalent, and at worst ill-disposed attitude of the then central government to the then city council.
And now what we have is the new parking meter project which is expected to be a revenue generator for the city as well as providing some semblance of order and control to vehicular movement within the city. However, this is being done without an express plan of action for the city, such as that from 2002, portions of which are still relevant. Even if the parking meter system were intended as the first step in a city development plan, such a plan would need to be properly articulated, fully debated and funded prior to its implementation. The parking meter project is, however, just another one-off project, unconnected to anything other than securing funds for City Hall.
In addition it is being rushed to the implementation stage while the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is engaged in a ‘Sustainable Urban Transport Study for Georgetown’ (See letter by Sherod Ducan on page 6) which is an altogether wider-ranging investigation into the traffic situation and related issues than anything which the select group of city officials who devised the parking meter fiasco addressed.
Guyana has always been known for its tremendous potential and Georgetown for being the garden city of the Caribbean. However, while Guyana’s potential remains underutilised, the once garden city has seen its splendour eroded continually over the years with flooding, garbage and the destruction of its material heritage becoming the bane of its existence.
As the commercial, financial and administrative capital of Guyana, we can ill afford the continuing decline of our capital city. Sporadic efforts like the parking meter project will not lead to the kind of growth and development that a well thought out, broader plan with public support could achieve. The current administration has plans to build a new bridge across the Demerara River. Is this part of a national development strategy or an urban development plan that spans twenty years?
Any plan, such as that on which the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is currently engaged, should be shared with the people so that the widest possible cross-section of stakeholders and interested parties can give their views and provide feedback. Guyana has its full share of managers; it is now time for leaders with long-term vision to take the helm.
