A new town clerk has been appointed for Lethem, Region Nine by the Ministry of Communities.
It is the latest important appointment which has been done by the ministry in the absence of the Local Government Commission which had been promised by the APNU+AFC Government months ago.
A statement from the Ministry of Communities on Wednesday said that the newly appointed Town Clerk, Keisha Vincent has promised to channel all her energies towards attracting much-needed investment that can advance the border town’s tourism prospects.
Vincent, who took up her appointment on Monday, October 31, explained, according to the press release, that her ultimate goal is to see Lethem transformed into a hive of economic activity.
Vincent believes that Lethem has huge potential to capitalize on government’s green agenda as it embodies the very essence of pristine, unspoiled beauty.
“If you’re talking about green economy, Lethem is the perfect example. It’s quiet here. It’s not congested with traffic. The crime rate is low. The people are friendly and sociable and regardless of the political differences, we work together,” the Town Clerk said.
Vincent, who was schooled in Brazil and is fluent in English and Portuguese, said that the council intends to capitalize on the fact that Lethem is a border town.
“Region Nine is the biggest region and Lethem is Georgetown’s equivalent of Stabroek in terms of the shopping experience so we must use this to our advantage in order to generate enough revenue. The potential is there. We just need the push and guidance,” Vincent said.
She added, according to the press release, that with the recent introduction of a radio station, the town is now displaying some semblance of life.
As the major economic activity in Lethem is farming, Vincent said her focus would also be to organize and promote a local Market Day that can attract Brazilian and Venezuelan shoppers.
“They come over here to do a lot of shopping especially when it’s a holiday in their country,” the Town Clerk said.
On the issue of education, Vincent said that Lethem is in dire need of a technical and vocational training centre where young people and school leavers can have an opportunity to further their education.
“There’s too much teenage pregnancy here. We need to focus on giving these young girls the opportunity to go further. They are brilliant and talented but the options are limited”, she said.
The fifth of eight siblings, Vincent was born in Kamarang, to parents both of whom worked in law enforcement. She later moved to Georgetown where she spent most of her childhood and remained until the age of 21, the press release said.
