State House to be repainted to historical colours of white with green edges

The new People’s Progressive Party Government has signalled its intention to restore State House, a heritage building, and the official residence of the President to its historic colour of white with green edges.

Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira told the National Assembly on Friday during her presentation during the ongoing budget debate that the official residence of the President will not remain in the current shades of green it is painted in.

The announcement was met with loud applause and banging of desks by her colleague Members of Parliament on the Government side of the House.

“State House will be restored to white walls and forest green edges… not duck egg green,” Teixeira told the House.

State House, which had remained white for decades, was repainted in 2017 by the then APNU+AFC Government but not in its historical white colour.

Criticisms weighed heavily at the time on the decision by then President David Granger to repaint State House, which is also designated a national monument.

State House is one of nine gazetted national monuments in Guyana that falls under the vested responsibility of the National Trust.

The National Trust had stated that approval was not sought for the repainting of State House and this directly breached the National Trust Act that makes provision for the preservation of monuments, sites, places and objects of historic interest or national importance.

The Act specifically states that the Trust must approve changes.

The former President has said he had broken no law in repainting the building.