No politics with potholes, President Dr. Irfaan Ali said on Tuesday as he defended the takeover of more than 50 Georgetown roads, framing the move as a practical response to worsening infrastructure rather than a political intervention and part of a broader effort to accelerate rehabilitation works and standardise maintenance across the capital.
Speaking at the commissioning of the newly expanded Aubrey Barker Road, Ali said the policy forms part of a wider governance approach to improve coordination and delivery under the Ministry of Public Works as road conditions across Georgetown continue to deteriorate.
“We are not taking roads for politics,” he said, adding: “We are not playing politics with potholes. We are not campaigning with congestion. We are governing.”
The declaration of these roads as public roads transfers responsibility from City Hall to the central government, a shift the administration says will allow faster execution of upgrades and more consistent maintenance. The move has raised concern among some stakeholders over central government encroachment on municipal responsibilities.
Ali acknowledged those concerns but said Georgetown’s infrastructure challenges require coordinated long-term planning beyond the current capacity of the city administration.
“If Georgetown is to become the finest city in the Caribbean, then its infrastructure must match that ambition,” he said, noting that “a modern city cannot run on broken roads. A growing economy cannot move on yesterday’s infrastructure.”
He also expressed support for a City Council aligned with the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic, arguing that policy cohesion is necessary to keep pace with national development.
The announcement comes amid ongoing roadworks across Georgetown that have triggered traffic disruptions and public frustration. Ali urged commuters to remain patient, saying the works are part of a phased programme aimed at reducing long-term congestion.
“The traffic you endure today will become the travel you enjoy tomorrow,” he said.
The government is also exploring broader transport solutions, including a possible light rail system, expanded public bus services and alternative routes as part of an integrated urban transport strategy.
