Persons living in the Timehri North area will soon benefit from better access to potable water and a paved access road.
This announcement was made by David Patterson, Minister of Public Infrastructure, at Timehri North’s first Community Day on Saturday in the Bourne Area, a release from his ministry said on Monday.
The Community Day was intended to foster better relationships among the more than 300 residents in the area.
Patterson, the release said, lamented that prior to the May 11 General Election there was a threat to remove a number residents for ‘squatting’ on Government’s land.
“You were here for more than 23 years, given some assistance for political mileage and then were threatened to be uprooted without any concrete plans for relocation. Well I am pleased to say that the APNU+AFC Administration will be
creating a housing scheme within this same community to relocate the 15 homes that are in the pathway of the airport runway expansion project,” the Minister disclosed.
At the Minister’s last press conference, Patterson had shown reporters the designated area to relocate the residents, the release noted.
Recognizing that most of the community depends on a small stream for potable water, Patterson said he will take up the matter with his colleague Ronald Bulkan, Minister of Communities. The residents recommend several standpipes be installed at strategic locations to alleviate the situation.
The community’s main access road will also be paved, the release said.
The Minister also encouraged the residents to become regularized and secure their land titles. “You have all worked hard, get your titles from the Communities Ministry so that you can use it as collateral…get together and start thinking as a team on ways to boost community development,” the Minister said.
In another few weeks, the release said Patterson is scheduled to return to the community to interact with residents.
