Come April 23, 2016 Bartica will attain the status of a town in keeping with a promise made by President David Granger during his election campaign, GINA reported.
The Head of State, during a public meeting at the Bartica Secondary School made the announcement yesterday. Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton and Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection Simona Broomes were also present at the meeting.
“I made a promise when I was campaigning and I promised that Bartica will become a town before the 26 May, 2016, the 50th Independence anniversary, in fact Bartica will be a town on the 23rd April 2016.”
Speaking on the significance of the date set, the President told the gathering that it was on April 23, 178 years ago that the ordinance was issued by the colonial government and his government will make that ordinance a reality. The President charged the residents to make the necessary preparation for township status as he called on them to make Bartica the “first green town”.
“I would like you to use the next ten months to make Bartica the most beautiful town in the entire country.
There are economic reasons, there are health reasons for that, there are political, social and cultural reasons for that.”
“…By a green town I mean that you must look at your energy, stop bringing in diesel and gasoline, let us use wind and sun power…but we have to adopt green energy and Bartica must be Guyana’s first green town.”
The President, GINA said, declared that the use of Styrofoam and plastic must be minimised while major attention should be given to proper solid waste disposal.
“So by being a green economy Bartica will renew itself, sustain itself, and not damage the environment as I see happening now”, Granger said, pointing out that there still remains the issue of “predatory and rapacious attitude to the exploitation of our resources.”
Pointing to the fact these resources are not renewable, the Head of State said it is therefore important for citizens to start thinking of a sustainable economy.
Meanwhile the residents were also encouraged to get involved in cleaning up their surroundings.
GINA said that residents were afforded the opportunity to raise some of their concerns which included the urgent need for a proper waste disposal site and the delay in the permitting of a crematorium.
Residents of Karrau raised some concerns over land distribution in the village and called for a thorough investigation and audit into the Village Council activities.
GINA said that the President gave this undertaking and noted that several other Amerindian villages have been calling for same.
