City plagued by littering, lawlessness – Mayor
Kaieteur News
July 20, 2004
Mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Greene has expressed concerns that the city is plagued with lawlessness and littering and appears to be drifting to near anarchy.
The Mayor also noted the number of persons of unsound mind who roam the streets of the city, scavenging and emptying garbage bins.
He added that the increasing number of homeless people, including those of unsound mind, contribute to making the city an ugly place.
“The problem with both groups is that sometimes when we picked up persons, other groups point out the human rights violation,” the Mayor explained.
He said it is a cumbersome process to remove such people from the streets.
“They must be medically examined; they must be taken to a particular institution. I think the time has come for us to review these rules,” he said.
Mayor Green said the issue was discussed with the Minister of Health some time ago and by now the Ministry must have a solution to remove such persons from the streets. He highlighted the fact that there are increasing numbers of young people who have no respect for the city and blatantly litter. He also added that social service groups who distribute food in Styrofoam boxes need to ensure that these containers are disposed of in a proper manner.
“We have serious problems in the city as it relates to littering and as we talk of tourism, we have to do better in keeping the city and its environs clean.”
However, the Mayor noted that these problems are all part of a wider picture and reflect a nation in crisis.