Rising opposition to the desecration of city parapets by the Ministry of Public Works has triggered a legal letter from the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) ordering a halt to the exercise and warning of the possibility of court action.
In a letter dated November 13, attorney Eusi Anderson, on behalf of the M&CC underlined breaches of the municipal law that have occurred as a result of the ministry’s digging up of parapets.
In his letter, he made the following demands:
1. That you immediately cause your agents and surrogates to cease all work on and remove all equipment and materials from lands and roads under the dominion of the Mayor and
City Council of Georgetown on or before 17″ November, 2026.
2. That you show cause why your acts and omissions in respect of your decision to destroy trees, parapets and alleyways alongside roads under the dominion of my client is within
the perimeter of lawful behaviour.
“Let it be appreciated, sans doubt, that anyone of your agents who continues these works will be met with staunch resistance and be prosecuted for criminal and civil wrongs which punctuate their actions”, Anderson warned.
He noted that parapets have been dug up on Laluni Street, Anira Street, Forshaw Street, Peter Rose Street, New Garden Street, Oronoque Street and Lance Gibbs Street in Queenstown; North
Ruimveldt: Festival City; Lamaha Gardens: Cedar Court and Marudi street. Anderson said that these works are absent the fiat, prior informed consent of, or consultation with the Mayor and City Council.
He argued that the works constituted breaches of the Municipal
and District Councils Act specifically at:
Section 302(19)- The Council shall have the power “to plant, trim, preserve or remove trees, flowers and shrubs in any public place”.
Section 302 (24)- The Council shall have the power “to control public spaces”.
Section 302 (25)- The Council shall have the power “to prohibit trespass in alleyways and the encumbering of public and council roads and the parapets thereof and of pavements”.
He called on Edghill to disclose the environmental impact assessment and consultative processes which informed the “decision to violate the laws of Guyana by replacing decades’ old plants with gravel”. He said that the answers should be provided by or before 17″ November 2026.
A number of Queenstown residents have reacted with outrage at the works which occurred without consultation and left their parapets excavated and filled with gravel.
The M&CC has previously warned that its constables will interdict any work that continues.
Central government has increasingly intruded into the business of the city despite the mandate being entrusted to the M&CC. Both the ministries of public works and local government have been engaged in such works together with the UK charity, the King’s Foundation.
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