Recent pledges by the government to green Georgetown and other parts of coastal regions of Guyana can be viewed with both optimism and skepticism. While the promise, built on the premise of environmental sustainability is commendable, the project, as presented, is riddled with legislative gaps and structural weaknesses that cast doubt on its long-term viability.
Ironically, this greening intent comes on the heels of a deal struck by the government with a Qatari group – behind the back of the city – to obliterate prime recreational and green spaces on Carifesta Avenue in exchange for a huge hotel. Even as this editorial is being written, preliminary work is beginning at the site without the requisite approvals by the city.
For any large-scale beautification and greening project to succeed, a robust legal framework is essential. Unfortunately, Guyana lacks enforceable legislation that mandates urban greenery, environmental accountability, and sustainable land use practices. While the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 outlines broad goals, there is no statutory requirement compelling municipalities, businesses, and residents to participate in or maintain green spaces.
The absence of laws requiring urban green infrastructure means that new developments are not obligated to incorporate parks, tree-lined streets, or ecological corridors. Similarly, there is no national mandate for sustainable landscaping in private or public spaces, leaving beautification efforts subject to political will rather than legal necessity. Without legal reinforcement, this initiative risks becoming a fleeting policy with no lasting impact.
This lack of legislative oversight will obviously create an environment where funds can be misallocated or contracts awarded without adequate transparency. Without an independent oversight body, tasked with monitoring expenditures and implementation, the risk of mismanagement becomes heightened.
Moreover, with national and regional elections set for 2025, there is reasonable concern that this project is more about political manoeuvring than genuine urban-rural transformation. Without clear legislative commitments to transparency, budgeting, and long-term maintenance, the initiative has the potential to become yet another unfulfilled political promise.
Georgetown’s urban planning has long suffered from a lack of strategic foresight, and this project does little to address such fundamental spatial and regulatory weaknesses. The city is plagued by inadequate drainage, unregulated land use, and haphazard development—issues that cannot be addressed through simple beautification efforts.
Since there is no existing legislative requirement that mandates the integration of green spaces into new developments, nor is there a regulatory body enforcing green corridors between communities. Georgetown, in fact, resembles, in Bob Marley’s famous words, one huge ‘concrete jungle’. This failure to legally integrate environmental planning into urban development undermines any long-term greening efforts.
A major challenge to the success of the greening initiative is Georgetown’s failing waste management system. Garbage collection remains erratic, and there are no legally binding policies requiring businesses and residents to manage their waste responsibly. Additionally, construction materials and debris are often left scattered in public spaces, further undermining beautification efforts.
The ongoing tensions between Georgetown’s City Council, local government authorities, and the national government further complicate the feasibility of this project. The blurring of the lines that establishes clear legislative delineation of responsibilities among these entities has led to inefficiencies, with each blaming the other for governance failures.
The legislative framework defining municipal and national responsibilities in urban beautification and environmental sustainability cannot remain obscur-ed and must be respected and adhered to by all involved. Without such legal clarity, jurisdictional disputes will continue to hinder project execution and maintenance.
For this greening initiative to have any long-term impact, the following legislative measures is recommended: Mandatory Green Infrastructure: Laws to require all new developments to incorporate green spaces, including parks, tree-lined streets, and ecological corridors. Urban Beautification Mandates: Municipalities must be legally obligated to maintain designated green areas, with penalties for neglect. Waste Management Legislation: Existing legislation must be taken off the shelves, dusted, modernize or update as may be necessary, to incentivization of recycling. Transparency and Accountability Laws: A regulatory body must oversee project expenditures and contract allocations to ensure financial integrity. Jurisdictional Clarity: Legislative amendments must clearly define the roles of city councils, local governments, and national authorities in urban planning and beautification efforts.
Without enforceable legislation that ensures transparency, accountability, and regulatory oversight, this project risks becoming another politically convenient but ultimately ineffective policy. A commitment must be made to legislate reform to move beyond superficial beautification and toward a truly sustainable and well-regulated urban environment. Only through comprehensive legal measures can Georgetown’s, and other coastal communities, transformation be more than just an election-year promise.
In the meanwhile, the government and its multitude of thoughtless contractors and suppliers continue to fill in green spaces and walkways with tiles, concrete and assorted material. All is not lost however. Nature is doing its own greening. The blooming of mangroves along the Georgetown and East Coast seawall is a different type of greening and one that comes with a dazzling array of aquatic ecosystems not to mention sea defence.
