GEORGETOWN, Guyana —Tiger Bay is set to undergo a major transformation as President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Sunday announced that the central Georgetown community will serve as the government’s first pilot “model neighbourhood,” part of a sweeping urban-renewal effort aimed at cleaner streets, safer public spaces, and community-driven revitalisation.
During an early-morning walkabout through Tiger Bay and surrounding areas, the president outlined a programme that he said will blend infrastructure upgrades with social development, signalling a shift toward neighbourhood-focused interventions in the capital. He emphasised that the initiative, rooted in the administration’s broader Rescue Georgetown plan, will depend heavily on cooperation between residents, government agencies and law enforcement.
“We are going to work with the community in creating community ownership and community security,” Ali told residents gathered along Carmichael Street. “You will have to help us—and the police—to keep these communities safe and clean.”
A committee led by Local Government and Regional Development Minister Priya Manickchand will oversee the project and conduct continuous community engagement. Several other ministers joined the president during Sunday’s visit, meeting with residents, teachers, youth groups, and business owners.
The push comes as the government accelerates its capital-city renewal efforts. Over the past five years, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration has spent billions improving roads, drainage, and public spaces in Georgetown. A newly formed multi-agency task force has also been rolling out the Georgetown Drainage Development Plan, which includes clearing alleyways, improving waterways, and restoring urban landscapes.
Ali said the work in Tiger Bay reflects the wider vision behind the Rescue Georgetown plan—an initiative that outlines 15 demonstration projects intended to restore Georgetown’s identity as the “Garden City” while promoting climate-resilient infrastructure and cultural heritage. The plan also includes collaboration with the UK-based King’s Foundation, which has been supporting local beautification and skills-development efforts.
For Tiger Bay, the transformation will extend beyond aesthetics. The president said the programme will include new recreational spaces, modern sporting facilities, social-support programmes for women and children, and a training hub for youth. Fruit trees will be planted along major corridors—including Main Street and Carmichael Street—as part of an effort to introduce edible landscaping into urban spaces. When a resident jokingly requested strawberries, the president laughed and responded, “Maybe not strawberries.”
Ali also announced that the Office of the First Lady will support the Ministries of Local Government and Housing in implementing urban beautification initiatives.
The president said the long-term goal is to connect key public routes—from the seawall through downtown Georgetown and into the Botanical Gardens—into a safe, walkable tourism corridor. The area, he noted, will eventually host craft shops, small-business kiosks, restaurants, and other services designed to stimulate local commerce and create jobs.
“We have to remove the stigma from this area,” Ali said. “And we are going to remove it—as a neighbourhood of love.”
Much of Sunday’s visit focused on listening to residents’ concerns, inspecting drainage infrastructure, and mapping out areas for immediate cleanup. Ali closed the engagement by inviting residents to share a meal prepared at the One Guyana Kitchen, saying the gesture symbolised the unity and cooperation needed to move the programme forward.
Officials said the lessons learned in Tiger Bay will be used to guide similar projects across the city and other regions. The initiative also aligns with commitments outlined in the government’s 2025 Manifesto, which promises safer communities, improved public infrastructure, and inclusive urban development.
Ministers Priya Manickchand, Keoma Griffith, Steven Jacobs, and Collin Croal were among the officials accompanying the president as consultations began on what the government described as a historic community-development effort.