Better roads and adequate water and power supplies are among the promises being made to residents of the Mabaruma Sub-region, in Region One (Barima-Waini), who will today vote to elect the new municipality’s first town council.
With no independent candidates contesting the First-Past-the-Post elections, candidates drawn from the country’s two main political groups, the APNU+AFC and the PPP/C, will be going head to head at today’s polls in Mabaruma’s six constituencies, which will see in one case a father contesting against his daughter.
During interviews with Stabroek News, the need for road rehabilitation and improved water and electricity supplies in the varying constituencies emerged as common areas of interest for a majority of the candidates.
All of the candidates who spoke with this newspaper expressed confidence as they prepared to head to the polls, while some even encouraged the residents of the Mabaruma sub-region to work together for the development of the town irrespective of the outcome of the elections.
Donkey years
The need for road rehabilitation, in particular, was a common talking point for the candidates, who said most of the roads in their constituencies are “deplorable” and have been that way for some time now.
Contesting on behalf of the PPP/C to be the representative for the Hosororo Hill constituency, Victor Boyer lamented that that the road in his area has been in a terrible state for “donkey years” now. He contended that if the community is to see any form of development, the roads must be improved.
Boyer, a tailor, suggested the need for a feasibility study to be conducted before any future work can be done on the roads. “They patch the holes today and a week after the potholes are there again,” he lamented.
Similar sentiments were shared by his opponent, APNU+AFC candidate Nigel Peters, who stressed that development in Hosororo Hill should begin with the rehabilitation of the roads.
PPP/C candidate Leonard Daniels, a farmer contesting in the constituency of Mabaruma Settlement-Barimanobo, added that there is much rehabilitation that needs to be undertaken since the majority of the roads in the Mabaruma Settlement are in a “terrible state.”
Suffering
The need to address the town’s water supply was also highlighted by the candidates. This was the view expressed by the PPP/C’s Mark Persaud and his APNU+AFC counterpart Victor O’Selmo, both of whom are contesting in the Kumaka constituency.
Persaud, 52, a businessman and former member of the Community Development Council (CDC), described the present supply of water which is being facilitated by GWI as being “inadequate” as residents hardly ever experience “decent” water supply.
He explained that the community’s water supply is sourced from the Barabina area, which is an estimated two to three miles away from Kumaka.
Meanwhile, O’Selmo stated that the current water supply system usually sees residents receiving a one-hour supply of running water.
APNU+ AFC candidate Mark John added that residents in his constituency, Thomas Hill-Smith Creek, get water every other day. “There is a need for the improvement of the well. My people in Thomas Hill are suffering,” John said.
The PPP/C’s Fermin Singh, a former regional vice-chairman who is contesting in the Mabaruma Township/Mabaruma Compound and Broomes Estate constituency, said he remains committed to extending water supply to areas in his constituency where water supply systems have not yet been implemented. “When we speak of Region One having these facilities, it is not the entire region and we will be focusing on such communities,” the candidate said
Also on the agenda for some is the implementation of drainage and irrigation systems, particularly in the Thomas Hill and Kumaka areas.
Persaud explained that his community was established on swamp lands and as a result residents are affected during periods of heavy rainfall.
John noted that the same can be said for residents in Smith Creek and committed to the establishment of such systems if elected.
Power supply
Like the water supply to constituencies in the new town, an adequate electricity supply is also an area of concern.
APNU+AFC’s Louranza Daniels, who is contesting against her father Leonard Daniels in the constituency of Mabaruma Settlement-Barimanobo, said her goal is ensuring all the residents in her community benefit from the supply of electricity. She explained that in Barimanobo, where she lives, only half of the community has been able to benefit from electricity. Once successful at today’s election, she said, she will be committed to ensuring that the programme is extended to the remaining residents.
For others, like the PPP/C’s Singh and APNU+AFC’s Cleveland December, the focus will be mainly on making provisions to facilitate an increase in the number of hours that residents receive electricity.
According to Singh, residents in his constituency have been requesting an increase in the hours they are supplied with electricity; presently, residents get a six-hour supply of electricity every day between 5 and 11 pm.
“During the day, we need some electricity too; the secondary school needs electricity to facilitate the use of computers,” Singh stated.
Meanwhile, December, who is contesting the same constituency as Singh, argued that the current supply of electricity discourages persons from venturing into some areas of business, thus hampering the development of the town. December, a former Regional Transport Officer, related that his reason for participating in this year’s local government elections is based on a request made by residents for him to be their representative.
“In order for us to have development in areas like these, we need leadership and guidance, thus I took the position upon the request of people… after Friday, we can come together and work for the development of Mabaruma,” he shared.
‘I am not a politician I just want to help’
Plans for the implementation of transportation services for school children, the elderly and the sick were also highlighted by some candidates, like Louranza Daniels and Roxanne Skeete of APNU+AFC, and Fermin Singh, of the PPP/C.
Daniels outlined plans to provide transportation for students of the North West Secondary School, who reside in her constituency. She explained that students are often forced to undertake a long journey to school in canoes, while there are others who cannot afford to travel with public transportation. She noted that the situation significantly worsens when it rains.
Singh shared a similar concern, while noting that he plans to work towards making provisions for the children as some of them journey some 20 miles to get to and from school on a daily basis. He also spoke of instances where elders and the sickly are unable to access medical attention as a result of the lack of transportation.
This was further reiterated by Skeete, a housewife contesting in the Barabina-Koberimo Hill constituency, who plans to lobby for the establishment of a health centre in the area for the benefit of the residents as it is often a hassle to transport sick persons to the regional hospital.
Proposals for the establishment of skills training centres were also mentioned by Singh, and APNU+AFC candidates O’Selmo and December.
The men agreed that work must be done to positively engage the Mabaruma youth though the establishment of training centres and recreational facilities.
“We need to involve our youth in more positive activities. Right now they have too much idle time and we need to change that because they are our future,” O’Selmo said.
“I am not a politician I just want to help; my people have been suffering for too long,” he added.
Others, like Mark Persaud, of the Kumaka constituency, hope to also establish computer hubs and library for the youth in the area.
Victor Boyer of the Hosororo Hill Constituency, Vibert Emanuel of the Barabina- Koberimo constituency and Mark John of Thomas Hill- Smith Creek constituency plan to address the rehabilitation of sporting and recreational facilities with the aim of reviving the sporting talents of the youth in their communities. “We had the best athletes at one time but after a while all that died down and I’m hoping that we can revive that and improve and develop ourselves. We have produced a doctor, nurses, teachers; I feel we can do things,” John said.
However, due to issues regarding telephone signal, efforts to contact PPP/C candidate Leslie Robinson proved futile.
