Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, yesterday, announced plans to pave the Linden/Lethem roadway and launch a radio station for Indigenous communities, at the third ‘Public Day’, held at the Tabatinga Community Ground.
The Prime Minister announced in a Ministry of the Presidency press release that works on the Linden to Lethem Highway will soon begin, while an industrial zone will be established in Lethem to facilitate economic activity that is expected to take place once the road has been completed. Plans for the paving had been discussed for decades.
Further, he said, the Ministry of Public Security has already started working with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs to address the issue of gun licenses for Indigenous communities. “I have spoken to the Minister of Public Security and Vice President, Sydney Allicock, for the firearms which were handed in during the amnesty period to be re-issued once the paperwork is completed… We will also look at the way the fees are charged,” the Prime Minister said.
A portion of the Ministry of the Presidency press release follows:
He also added that the Government has plans in train to set-up offices in the Region to facilitate the application process for passports or birth certificates.
Prime Minister Nagamootoo, who was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Sita Nagamootoo, said the meetings are being held to help realise the Government’s mission to provide a good life for all Guyanese. “Nine months have not even gone since we took office and in these months this has been a feature of the government; reaching out to the people to establish open Government partnerships,” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister led a high-level team of Government officials including Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon; Minister of Public Infrastructure, Mr. David Patterson; Minister of Social Protection, Ms. Volda Lawrence; Minister of Citizenship, Mr. Winston Felix and Minister within the Ministry of Communities, with responsibility for Housing, Ms. Valerie Patterson to the Region to give residents an opportunity to meet directly with the Ministerial team.
Before the start of the meetings on Saturday, Minister Harmon remarked that the Administration is cognisant of the fact that not every individual has the means to meet with officials to have their matters addressed. As such these ‘Public Day’ activities is an opportunity to take the Government to the people. “We have brought the Prime Minister and five [other] Ministers to hear what your concerns are. You voted for a change and you are seeing the change. You have a Government that cares,” Minister Harmon said.
House lots
The issue of housing, which has been a major bugbear countrywide, has also been a source of anxiety for Region Nine residents. Residents complained bitterly that under the previous Administration there was a lack of responsiveness to calls to address issues related to housing and land titling. However, Housing Minister Ms. Valerie Patterson, who had pledged to tackle the backlog of house lot applications and address the related housing issues upon her assumption to office, brought relief to residents when she announced that the price for land had been reduced, processed applications on the spot and even allowed residents to select their intended house lot numbers.
One visibly pregnant woman who was the first to pull a lot number was too overwhelmed to offer a comment. However, another resident, Ms. Madela LaRose, who had had the cost for her land reduced by half said, “Last year I was asked to pay $300,000 for the land, but when I looked at the land I was confused because the price didn’t match the size. I can here this morning to clarify this and I am leaving as a grateful woman.
Ms. Brenda Campbell, a mother of six, said she applied for a house lot four years ago and never received a response. However, yesterday she left the Tabatinga Community Ground, smiling. “I have six kids and I live in a rented house. I want my own home so I applied for a piece of land and up until today, I couldn’t get any response. But I came and I meet the Minister and now I am getting to pick my lot number,” Ms. Campbell said. These women were among the first 47 citizens to benefit from the Government’s revised housing plans.
Labour
