G/town Mayor seeking help to restore City Hall grounds ahead of recommissioning

The long-awaited re-commissioning of Georgetown’s iconic City Hall building is expected soon, but Mayor Alfred Mentore said the compound’s grounds are in urgent need of restoration after the work done during the renovation phase.

During an interview at his office, Mentore told the News Room that while he has not yet toured the fully restored building, he plans to write to the Ministry of Public Works to request assistance with rehabilitating the surrounding tarmac.

“During the period of construction, a lot of trucks and heavy vehicles came in and they damaged the tarmac.

“I asked for the tarmac to be rehabilitated and maybe around the building itself by the Ministry of Public Works,” Mentore said.

The $780 million restoration project, funded by the European Union, has returned the century-old Gothic Revival structure to its former glory, following years of deterioration.

In addition to the City Hall project, Mentore recently engaged with the Minister of Local Government, Priya Manickchand on a series of urban development initiatives.

High on the agenda are vendor support and market infrastructure upgrades, particularly at Stabroek Market and Bazaar. Mentore said he is hopeful that the feasibility studies and urban planning proposals previously submitted can be prioritised.

“Vending is a way of life, it’s a business, it’s an enterprise, it’s something that persons pay their bills, mortgages, car payments and we want to be able to have workable solution so that those persons have a place that they call their own, not the street,” he said.

The feasibility plan conducted by a British company will allow for extensions at the market. Mentore said he is committed to working with Minister Manickchand and her ministry to develop the city.