Ali defends takeover of Georgetown roads from city council

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 April 2026, 0:06 by Writer

President Irfaan Ali on Monday defended his administration’s decision to wrest control of several roads in Georgetown from the Mayor and City Council, amid opposition criticisms that the move smacks of dictatorship.

At the same time, he did not hide his administration and ruling party ambitions to win the majority of the 30 city council seats in Local Government Elections widely expected later this year.

“Yes, I’m interested in seeing a People’s Progressive Party Civic-led city council. I’m interested in seeing strong government, strong leadership at the City Hall so don’t guess what I’m saying. My intentions are clear and the intentions of the PPP Civic are clear as ever. We want a chance to run this city because the city deserves better than what it has today,” he said at the formal commissioning of the rehabilitated Aubrey Barker Road, now stretching from Mandela Avenue to the Ogle/Eccles bypass.

In the same breath, he sought to shrug off claims by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) that the decision was politically motivated because Georgetown is not a People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) stronghold.

“Let me set the record straight. We’re not taking roads for politics. We are designating roads as public roads in the cause of progress. We have no political interest in dispossessing any entity,” he told the gathering.

He said Aubrey Barker road has been designated a public road which means that it would be maintained and managed by the public works ministry rather than being allowed to “drift into neglect” as is the case with many streets in the city.

The President said his administration’s aim was to govern effectively and make firm decisions. “We’re not playing politics with potholes. We’re not campaigning with congestion. We’re not grandstanding with gridlock. We’re governing and governing requires responsibility,” he said.

If Georgetown is to become the finest city in the Caribbean, Dr Ali said its infrastructure must match that ambition in which there are no broken roads and modernised infrastructure.

He said the roadways must be modernised to accommodate the “exponential growth” in the number of vehicles, ensure improved safety and increased productivity.

He said that was the reason behind designating more than 50 roads in Georgetown public roads. “It’s not merely to transfer responsibility but is to accelerate modernisation under our national development agenda,” he said.

In the coming days after another half-baked national clean-up day in which the drainage network across Georgetown remained heavily clogged with silt, vegetation and solid waste, the President promised to take over that responsibility from City Hall.

“I am not interested in this blame game. If they don’t want to open the koker and if they don’t want to maintain the drain, we will show the people of this city we’re ready to do it and with their support, we will do it continuously,” he said.

Dating back to 1994, the City Council has been complaining bitterly that it has not been getting central government approval to earn much-needed revenues from a lottery, litter fines, waste-to-energy, and increased rates and taxes to finance the operations of the town.