Georgetown’s transformation plan to promote walking, fewer vehicles, history, culture, business

Last Updated on Sunday, 20 October 2024, 12:08 by Writer

President Irfaan Ali on Saturday announced that his administration’s Georgetown transformation plan includes improving drainage, emphasising history and culture while promoting walking and riding rather than too many vehicles in the city.

“All of these sectors and segments that we see the City evolving with will support a city that is people-centric, moving more towards a walking city, a riding city with less vehicular traffic coming into the City, encouraging wellness and greater family orientation with families using the City walking together,” he said.

Dr Ali made the announcement at the formal opening of Aiden by Best Western Hotel on Oronoque and Robb streets, Bourda, Georgetown, in the presence of City Mayor, Alfred Mentore. “We need to break away and break from the political culture that is killing the development of the City and we need the private sector to take the lead in this,” the President said.

Referring to support from the United Kingdom’s King’s Foundation, Dr Ali said the “near future” plan entails connecting Georgetown on a number of pillars – culture and heritage, green walkways, city parks connectivity, industry and commerce, and waterfronts and markets. He explained that the intention is to cover the drainage for parking and bicycle lanes, as well as create connections between the National Park, a modernised zoo and the board walk.

He says government envisages that visitors will walk from Kingston and enjoy the city’s culture and heritage by rebuilding those related facilities. “We can create greenery along the drainage and peaceful, safe, tranquil walking circuits throughout the city,” he said.

The President hopes that the modernisation of the markets will reflect the culture, history, art, wellness, quality of life, safety, useability and friendliness of the capital.

Previously, Dr Ali had said that government would push ahead with its Georgetown development plan even without the City Council. That elected body is majority controlled by the People’s National Congress Reform-led A Partnership for National Unity.