The Lancaster/Hogstye Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) is tired of, being placed on the back burner when it comes to the regional administration prioritizing projects, and the current government’s “lackadaisical attitude”, says the Chairman of the NDC.
Forbes Moore, Chairman of the Lancaster/Hogstye NDC during an interview with Stabroek News, called on the regional administration and the Government of Guyana to step in and assist them. He said, “This NDC has been neglected in Region Six, [as] we are the only NDC that the Coalition won, and it appears as though because the region is controlled by the PPP, projects are being held back, things are slow to come by, subvention money is being approved but nothing is being done, the year is coming to a close, and the money will be gone because it can’t be taken over to a new year”.
However, Moore does not only blame the regional administration for works not being carried out, because he also feels that the government is partly to be blamed.
“I also hold our government responsible because of their lackadaisical attitude”.
He highlighted that the Minister of Communities has never visited the office of the NDC. According to Moore, the NDC’s office should be demolished and rebuilt, because of its present state.
“This building is a fire hazard, and a security risk”. He noted that the current structure does not have an emergency exit door, “We have an entrance door but we do not have an exit door…We are dealing with money here, someday someone will come in here to rob us, and if there is a fire we will be trapped”. Moore labelled the structure as a “disgrace”. “We need a new office”, he strongly insisted.
Meanwhile, Moore explained that he has heard though the infamous grapevine that there are talks of relocating the office to an area in Liverpool, Corentyne. “This office is centrally located, it is by the roadside, it should remain here …The centre in Liverpool is in a dilapidated state, and the area is not safe”, Moore stressed.
The chairman further vented his disappointment in the regional administration who he believes does not care for the residents in the NDC’s district. He noted that work needs to be done on 95% of the streets that the NDC is responsible for. However, he explained that during the preparation of the 2017 budget the regional engineer visited the area and upon seeing the long list of streets, sat down with the NDC and whittled the list down to seven streets.
However, to Moore’s surprise only two streets have been approved and included in the Region’s 2017 budget. “When we saw the budget for 2017 only two streets were included………a huge NDC like this, from Lancaster to Hogstye, for an entire year only two streets will [be] done…It is ridiculous and something has to be done”.
The chairman is calling on the regional administration to desist from making decisions based upon political affiliations, and for the coalition to intervene and ensure the NDC is treated fairly.
Robin Thom, Chairman of the Works Committee for the Lancaster/Hogstye NDC, in a recent letter to the media also underlined the NDC Chairman’s opinions of neglect.
Thom noted that the RDC’s 2017 proposals included the construction of a heavy-duty bridge at Second Street in the North Half of Liverpool Village which had already been built a few months ago. He questioned if this was a deliberate and corrupt act, or just plain negligence because of non-consultation.
Thom also pointed out that for over 22 years, requests for an excavator to dig and clean drainage and irrigation canals in the backlands had fallen on deaf ears, leading to extensive damage to crops, and the abandonment of over 3000 acres of farmlands.
The Chairman of the Works Committee added that a sluice which controls the flow of excess water from Black Bush Polder has been in a state of disrepair for an extended period of time, and causes the entire area to be flooded when water is released from the Polder. Urgent appeals for assistance from the Region have been of no avail.
