Some roads in the Diamond/Grove, East Bank Demerara area are to be rebuilt under the Community Roads Improvement Programme (CRIP), which is funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Junior Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker told residents there on Thursday. Whittaker, along with officials from his ministry, visited the Grove/ Diamond, East Bank Demerara area to address issues affecting the residents.
The team also held discussions with the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Chairman Dr Sham Doodnauth with regard to what measures should be put in place to address the concerns.
The main concern is the deplorable state of the road and not having proper drainage at Grove and residents blasted the officials for doing little or nothing to address their concerns.
“This road was built by us… Self help wuk build all this road and this place was a swamp before awe build the road,” were the comments of some residents at Second Street, Grove.
Whittaker told the residents that the some roadways will be repaired and rebuilt by under the CRIP, which is implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Water and the Ministry of Local Government.
At the same time, he said, the People National Congress (PNC) claims that the NDC building belongs to them and that matter is before the court which is hindering the development of the area. Whittaker added, “I hope Granger withdraw the case so that we can start building the roads in the area.”
Neil Hopkinson, a Fifth Avenue Diamond Housing Scheme resident said the NDC needs to be more vigilant in the area since there are construction works going on and some of the residents are making their parapets elaborate and building them higher than the roadway, causing it to become dilapidated. Overseer at the Grove/Diamond NDC office Abdool Gafoor said that at present the NDC has no drainage worker to have the drains in the areas cleared and that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has since deployed four of its workers who are assisting in clearing the “forefront” of the community to allow proper drainage. Meanwhile, at the Diamond Housing Scheme most of the residents at Section A were not at home but as the minister drove through the area he spoke to a few of them and their main concern was the daily buildup of traffic in the area, especially in the morning hours. Doodnauth said he had observed the traffic situation and blamed it on the poor management of the traffic and added that he had intervened and spoke to traffic ranks at the junction and saw a decrease of the traffic build up.
There had previously been a garbage situation as there was no collection for over a month but the situation was addressed when the NDC got a compactor truck from the Ministry of Local Government. However, some residents are alleging that the garbage collectors have special persons that they collect garbage from, while others are left to suffer.
Grove residents also said that street lights are needed in the area, since it is usually dark there, while adding that they pooled their monies and installed the lights but GPL came removed them.
The chairman then explained to them that in order for them to place lights onto the posts they will have to seek consent of the NDC, which will relate that to GPL. He, however, advised them that they will have to bear the expenses for the lights since the NDC cannot afford it.
