Minibus drivers operating in and around Bartica yesterday parked their buses in protest over the deplorable state of the Potaro Road–the major roadway leading into the interior–putting great pressure on commuters who depend on the buses as their main means of transportation.
Stabroek News understands that the ten buses that operate in and around the community were early yesterday morning parked at the side of the roadway and had placards displayed on them. The drivers, who were joined by residents of the area, according to reports, demanded that regional authority address them and inform how soon the road would be fixed. Even though the strike action put serious pressure on many in the community, more so since school reopened yesterday, most residents supported the drivers.
“Right now the children can’t go to school and workers are stranded because is $3,000 to go with the car to some areas, when with the bus is just $200,” this newspaper was told.
Stabroek News attempted to contact Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford and Regional Executive Officer Peter Ramotar but was told both were out of the district.
Minister of Local Govern-ment Ganga Persaud, when approached, told this newspaper that he was unaware of the strike. However, he said that money had been allocated to fix roads in the area. He could not say how soon work would commence and when the Potaro Road would be fixed.
Last month, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud had stated that the Guyana Geology and Mines Com-mission had transferred some $750 million to the Public Works Ministry. He had said that out of that some $250 million have been allocated to the Bartica/Potaro area.
During yesterday’s strike, a petition was also available for residents to sign, calling on the Neighbourhood Demo-cratic Council, the Regional Democratic Council and the Ministry of Local Govern-ment to provide proper roads and potable water among other things.
“We expressed our dissatisfaction with the situation,” one resident said, adding that many residents were signing the petition which they hope to shortly submit to the relevant authorities.
Another resident told this newspaper that while they wanted the road to be done they did not want the same kind of work that was done in the past to be repeated since the road would quickly return to the state it is in at present. He said that the road must be six feet wide in width, with drainage on both sides, and it must be about six inches thick. The residents are also calling for a committee to be established to monitor the work that would be carried out to ensure that it is keeping with what is stated on the contract.
“We don’t want a case where the contract states one thing but the work is another thing,” he said.
