The Region Five administration says its 2007 projects are 98% complete and $40M was spent on D&I during the year.
At a press conference, Chairman, Harrinarine Baldeo, said about $40M was spent on drainage and irrigation including the installation of 15 tubes in the West Mahaicony Flood Embank-ment and the construction of a sluice at the Bellamy canal. Baldeo told the media that the pump at Trafalgar and the other sluices in the region are in operation and though people tend to complain about flooding immediately after heavy rainfall “we cannot have full flow when the tide is low. I want residents to appreciate that the water drains naturally and it cannot happen so quickly,” he said.
Baldeo said because of complaints the region contacted the Guyana Sugar Cor-poration and the company agreed not to pump water through the residential area during the rainy season. He also urged residents to help to maintain the drains near their homes and to desist from blocking the drainage trenches. At the same time, Baldeo pointed out that the region is considerate of persons who block the drains for brief periods to undertake works and remove the implements soon afterward.
The chairman also said the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary-Agricultural Development Authority now has full responsibility for drainage and irrigation but the region would still support the neighbourhood democratic councils. He said the region is currently building an $18M concrete bridge at Blairmont and is trying to “phase out wooden bridges” to lessen maintenance costs.
Some $20M was allocated for education buildings, including for the Number 8 and the Airy Hall primary schools. He said $18M was allocated for health and that the Rosignol Health Centre was supposed to be developed into a “poly-clinic” but some of the funds were diverted to the Mahaicony Hospital which is under construction. One section of the hospital is complete and its staff is back at that location, after practising at the Dundee clinic. The Fort Wellington Hospital is also undergoing repairs.
The chairman said $12M was spent on land development for phase two to accommodate 340 house lots at Block ‘D’, Bath. The region has received over 800 applications and he said even though initial interviews had already been conducted, another round of interviews would be held to ensure that needy persons benefit. Baldeo said extra precaution is being taken as in the past many persons who were issued house lots have not occupied them and some sold their lands for as much as $500,000 though they paid government $58,000 for the parcels. He said for this reason he supports the housing ministry’s policy to repossess lots that have not been occupied for long periods.
The region said too that roads at Ithaca, Rosignol, D’Edward Village, Hopetown, Novar, Lovely Lass and Chester were also upgraded from a $40.8M allocation and the regional administration building was rebuilt at a cost of $9M.
Meanwhile, in response to a question, the chairman said the region does not have a dump site though it had one a few years ago. He said they plan to obtain a piece of land to establish another site this year. Baldeo noted that residents are dumping indiscriminately despite efforts to get them to desist. He said a Vreed-en-Hoop resident had started a disposal service and though that had lessened the problem, he has not seen them for some time.
The chairman said too a $20M market was constructed close to the Rosignol Stelling a few years ago and the vendors were relocated there. However, they have since refused to vend from the market. In the light of this Baldeo said efforts will be made to remove roadside structures and vendors from the Stelling as they impede the flow of traffic. At the same time, Baldeo said, “I hope this year good sense would prevail and the vendors would move voluntarily.”
Baldeo also said that straying cattle continues to be a traffic hazard and a nuisance in the residential areas. He said “the cattle population is concentrated heavily from Woodley Park to Lovely Lass” and the region is still without a pound.
Meanwhile, Baldeo said the Berbice River Bridge which is slated for a May completion, “would be an important landmark to bring the two regions together.” He said he is hopeful that it will boost the region’s and country’s economies.
