He reported at his weekly news conference that Cabinet welcomed the presentation of the Plan by the Mayor Mr. Hamilton Green and Deputy Mayor of Georgetown, Mr. Robert Williams; Officers from the Ministry of Housing and Water and senior officials of the Central Housing and Planning Authority.

The content, he noted, is such that specific attention will be paid to the "use of space development on the river front and seawall, drainage, traffic and storage.”

After viewing the presentation, Cabinet members offered contributions on various elements of the Plan.

"Cabinet provided its strong support for a development Plan for Georgetown and one that specifically addresses concerns relating to the drainage, traffic and vendors' situations and the availability of space within Georgetown," the Cabinet Secretary asserted.

An important component of the Plan is that it addresses the vendors relocation problems, an issue which the Administration has been working with the City Council to address by relocating vendors from areas that are not identified for vending in the City by-laws.

For the latter situation, a site has been identified on Water Street but work on it has been placed on hold because of legal proceedings.

Dr. Luncheon said that while presently the site is viewed as adequate to house the existing vendor population, additional arrangements will be looked at in the event of an increase in the number of vendors. temporarily

"Along the water front, and in many other parts of Georgetown, vendors would have to be relocated. The City Council is still attempting to acquire State property and resources to relocate vendors. There are provisions in the Municipal Act and in the bylaws of the City that would allow them to at least, temporarily access vacant lots to provide accommodation for vendors," Dr. Luncheon added.

On the vendor’s issue, the HPS said that the authorities are looking at the vendors' request of having "a nexus with the community and the places where they are accommodated."

The Greater Georgetown Plan is one, which complements Government's initiative to developing townships in several of the Administrative Regions across Guyana.

"They were invited to refine the Plan in Consultation with the major shareholders: private sector, ratepayers, security services and the administration and return with a revised document in the shortest possible time," Dr. Luncheon noted.