President Dr. Irfaan Ali has announced that Aubrey Barker Road in South Georgetown will be designated a public road, while openly expressing his desire to see the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) take control of the capital’s governance.
The announcement came during an address at the commissioning of the upgraded roadway, which drew loud applause and a standing ovation from residents and officials in attendance. The declaration follows the recent designation of more than 50 roads across the city as public roads.
Aubrey Barker Road, which serves several South Georgetown communities including South Ruimveldt and Festival City, has been transformed into a modern four-lane thoroughfare as part of what the President described as a broader national transport strategy aimed at improving connectivity, reducing travel time and unlocking economic opportunities.
“Roads carry workers, goods, opportunity, and growth,” President Ali said, adding that improved infrastructure directly contributes to rising property values and economic development, citing instances where land prices increased by hundreds of percent following road upgrades.
The President was emphatic that the designation of roads as public roads is not politically motivated. “We are not taking roads for politics. We are designating roads as public roads in the cause of progress… We are not playing politics with potholes, we are governing,” he said.
However, his remarks took a distinctly political turn as he called for a change in how Georgetown is governed. “I’m interested in seeing a PPP/C-led City Council. I’m interested in seeing strong leadership at City Hall,” he told the audience, arguing that the city’s current state does not reflect its potential and that stronger leadership is needed to deliver services commensurate with the scale of national development.
“If Georgetown is to become the finest city in the Caribbean, then its infrastructure must match that ambition,” the President said.
