Georgetown is set to undergo a significant transformation as the government of Guyana advances its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) with support from the United Kingdom-based King’s Foundation. Head of State, President Irfaan Ali, during a high-level discussion at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Tuesday, outlined the future of urban development as part of the LCDS, revealing the government’s ambitious plans for the capital city.
With the backing of the King’s Foundation, the President emphasised that sustainable urban development would be at the heart of Georgetown’s renewal. President Ali, an expert in Urban and Regional Planning, highlighted the critical areas the strategy will address, including beautification, drainage, irrigation, and flood management, all aimed at revitalising Georgetown’s infrastructure.
“Our work continues to expand under the LCDS 2030 vision,” President Ali stated, “which includes the renewal of new growth areas, the expansion of urban planning, and efforts to restore Georgetown as the ‘Garden City’ of the world.” He further emphasised the government’s collaboration with the King’s Foundation as a key element of this transformation, while addressing the longstanding challenges the city faces, such as the accumulation of garbage and clogged drains, which have plagued the People’s National Congress (PNC)-controlled Georgetown Mayor and City Council (GM&CC) for decades.
President Ali stressed the need for collaboration between local authorities and the central government to ensure the success of these projects. The government’s allocation of 36,000 house lots since its return to office in 2020 has laid the groundwork for the next phase of urban development. “Georgetown has the potential to become a blend of our heritage and modern aspirations,” President Ali noted, adding that the city could take inspiration from international metropolises such as Dubai and Miami, but ultimately must craft its own unique future.
The President revealed that technical work on eight key elements for sustainable cities will commence in the coming months. This includes an urban development framework for greater Georgetown, a smart building code, a continuation of the master plan for Silica City, pilot neighbourhood plans, a greenway strategy, and modernised urban maps. At the same time, a heritage conservation plan, led by the National Trust of Guyana, will ensure that Georgetown’s historic colonial architecture is preserved.
During the discussion, President Ali also lauded British King Charles III for his early support of Guyana’s environmental initiatives, including the LCDS. Praise was similarly directed toward Eric Solheim, the former Norwegian Minister of the Environment, who played a key role in the 2009 Norway Agreement. This agreement provided Guyana with up to US$250 million for avoided deforestation, contingent on the country meeting certain performance indicators. The agreement expired in 2015, but the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration, upon returning to office in 2020, successfully expanded the LCDS.
As a result, the government certified 33.7 million carbon credits from the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) in December 2022, and signed a US$750 million multi-year agreement with the United States energy major Hess Corporation. The LCDS 2030 continues to gain broad support, including from the National Toshaos Council (NTC), which recently endorsed the strategy for its alignment with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its protection of Indigenous communities’ forests, ecosystems, and cultural heritage.
