Responding to concerns raised by Region One residents about the state of the roads, Minister of Local Government and Regional Deve-lopment Ganga Persaud reminded that taxpayers’ money is used to finance these investments and as such residents must be more vigilant to ensure that the infrastructure is not used indiscriminately.
A release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said the minister made these remarks while on a four-day visit to Region One, which concluded last Monday. He visited several communities, including Baramita, Port Kaituma, Falls Top, Sebai, Four Miles, Oronoque, Arakaka, and Matthews Ridge.
Persaud explained that because of the terrain, hinterland roads are much more challenging to construct and maintain compared to the coast. He lamented the irresponsible use of these vital road links, particularly by operators of heavy-duty machinery.
He reported that this year the government signed a contract to the tune of $104M for the construction of the internal roads in Port Kaituma, $360M for the road from the toll gate to Matthews Ridge, and an additional $80M from Matthews Ridge to Baramita.
The release said that irresponsible usage of the walkway in Oronoque was one of the issues that the minister had to address. He is hopeful that the rehabilitation of the internal roads in Port Kaituma will ease the pressure on the structure.
Additionally, the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) has agreed to recap it to improve the surface.
The release said that concerns were also raised in Oronoque about the garbage situation, and Minister Persaud informed the residents that on June 15, a solid waste programme will be launched in the Mabaruma sub-district. A contract has been awarded to a company to manage the landfill sites in the region. The Ministry is in discussions with the company for the services to be extended to Port Kaituma.
During a community meeting at the Sebai Primary School, residents called for speeding up the process of ensuring internet connectivity in their community. The release said that Persaud assured that government will continue to pursue aggressively this initiative that would see laptops, internet connectivity and the electricity component brought to their community.
According to GINA, Sebai residents also raised concerns about the manner in which the hot meal programme was being implemented. The minister explained that although the loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to fund the wider school feeding programme had ended last year, government has made available $832M to maintain this programme.
Persaud said that Region One Department of Education will have to provide in writing to his ministry, the status of this programme.
Overhaul of education system
At Four Miles, residents applauded when the minister informed parents of the community of the recent Cabinet decision that children can enter the formal education system at three years, three months; six months earlier than the previous minimum age.
GINA said that this new system will come into effect from September 2014 and will see up to 3,000 extra students [country-wide] enrolling each year.
The release said that the minister revealed that within the next few months, there will be a general overhaul of the education system in Region One to address administrative weaknesses.
On the issue of unemployment, Minister Persaud reminded that government has several initiatives through the various ministries that offer opportunities to hinterland youths to be trained.
GINA quoted him as saying, “No longer are Amerindian people restricted to the hinterland, we now have trained teachers, health workers, and other public officials in these communities, but we have to be willing and disciplined to optimise on these opportunities.”
He spoke of the $95M Amerindian Hostel at Liliendaal which caters to the needs of scholarship students.
Persaud also lamented that many times, hinterland students who were given scholarships to pursue studies in Georgetown or abroad fail to return to serve in Amerindian communities; instead they choose to either stay in the city or migrate.
GINA said that the minister also informed the communities about the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports’ Kuru Kururu Training Centre, where students are provided with free accommodation, meals and training in a number of technical disciplines. He encouraged the youths to apply for these opportunities.
The release said that in other communities residents had concerns relating to other ministries.
Farmers at Falls Top complained of not being equipped to deal with pests and diseases that plague their crops. Minister Persaud said that he will ask the Agriculture Ministry to investigate why extension officers stationed at Port Kaituma and Mabaruma are not meeting with residents in other communities.
GINA said at Arakaka, concerns were also raised about the manner in which medication for illnesses such as malaria, dengue and typhoid were dispensed. The local government minister assured that this matter will be brought to the attention of Health Minister, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran.
In the communities, Minister Persaud emphasised the need for residents to respect the rule of law; whether the regulations of the Village Councils, the Amerindian Act, or any other law that governs the country.
According to GINA, he said, “We need to pass on to the next generation the principles and practices that society needs laws to regulate itself. Our communities are what we make it; government cannot do it all; we have to do it collectively.”
