The Inter-Ministerial Committee which was tasked by the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali with devising a plan to enhance the quality of life in the City of Georgetown conducted its first meeting today.
Head of Committee, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall disclosed that several programmatic areas were discussed including infrastructural support, security and safety, drainage and irrigation, aesthetics, resource mobilization, and stakeholder participation.
Based on discussions during the meeting, a task force headed by Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha was immediately put together to conduct a rapid assessment of the physical works to be done in the City.
The task force has been deployed to begin work as of today Friday, August 14. They are expected to produce a report for the inter-ministerial committee as early as Monday, August 17, 2020.
Further to this, a sub-committee comprising Minister within the Local Government Ministry Anand Persaud, Public Works Minister, Deodat Indar, and technical advisor in the Ministry of Agriculture, Ricky Ramraj will conduct a desk review of the resource mobilization capacity of the City and present their findings next Friday.
Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn has been tasked with mobilizing the resources necessary to undertake and advise on the security aspects of the inter-ministerial city plan.
Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill and Minister Dharamlall will take the lead in engaging the Private Sector, City residents, and other interested bodies as part of the wider stakeholder plan to ensure collaboration and buy-in.
Earlier this week, Ministers Dharamlall and Persaud met with City Mayor Ubraj Narine to discuss areas of mutual interest and possible collaboration between the M&CC and government.
The Mayor has since met with Minister Benn to discuss security issues that continue to plague residents and citizens of Georgetown.
Following today’s launch of the inter-ministerial committee, it is expected that a management sustainability plan for the City will be and pursued with the Mayor and City Councillors.
Georgetown, which was once known as the “garden city” is home to the country’s capital and the seat of Government.
Georgetown has had a rich and culturally diverse history; one that the Irfaan Ali-led government intends to restore to its previous splendor.
