A massive outreach, which will see 19 ministers visiting 28 Rupununi villages in three days, is nothing but “normal government business,” according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon.
Speaking at a post “ministerial plenary” media briefing yesterday, Harmon stressed that “that is the way government functions.” He added that “it is important that government always meet the people.”
At the time, he was responding to questions from Stabroek News as to whether the outreach falls into the realm of “campaigning with state funds” – an issue which members of the coalition government had criticised the previous government for.
According to state media, ministers including Harmon, Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally, Minister of Public Telecommunications Catherine Hughes, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, Minister of Education Nicolette Henry, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, Attorney General Basil Williams, Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge will be part of the outreach.
Also expected to be present are Ministers Dawn Hastings-Williams, Dr Karen Cummings, Winston Felix, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Keith Scott, Annette Ferguson, Jaipaul Sharma, and George Norton.
The various ministers along with their teams will be visiting St Ignatius, Lethem, Moco Moco, Parishara, Nappi, Quarrie, Kaicumbay, Yupukari, Kwatamang, Rupertee, Annai, Aranaputa, Surama, Wowetta, Massara, Toka, Rewa, Katoonarib, Sarariwau, Aishalton, Achiwib, Maururanau, Karaudarnau, Karasabai, Tiger Pond, Shulinab, Sand Creek and Hiowa between February 15 and February 17.
Ally is reported as stating that the outreach will see government taking services to the people.
‘We are going to provide health services in some of these communities, so that the people in those areas can be exposed fully to dentistry, ophthalmology [among others],” Ally was reported as saying. She added that for many of the villagers in the Rupununi, it is either difficult for them to access some of the services or too expensive for them to travel to the capital city – Georgetown, when the need arises.
Harmon reiterated this claim arguing that government ministers always go out because it is not always possible for people to come to their offices.
“This not something that just started. Since last year, we have been taking the government to the people in all 10 administrative regions. This here is a focused attention on a particular area of the country. This is government business that you are doing. You are going to meet the people. Going to listen to them, hear what affects them and see how best you can address this issue,” Harmon contended.
