The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission yesterday opened their brand new sub office costing some $30 million in Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam, so as to decentralise services offered to citizens within the township and neighbouring areas.
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who delivered the feature address stated, that the constructing of the sub office is in keeping with his government’s commitment to provide quality service to the people of Guyana irrespective of their location.
During his speech the minister pointed out that a passport office will soon be opened in Region Six as well. “So within a short space of time you will have another central facility from the state here in this region and here in New Amsterdam and Canje.”
Harmon further stressed, that in due time it will not be necessary for Berbicians to leave Region Six and head to Georgetown for “services which are being brought now to you, and this really is what this government is about. It is about taking services to the people so that they do not have to incur the expenses of having to travel from one place to the next and this is the core principle behind our establishment of towns because the towns are meant to be the centre of government administration for all of these regions, so you don’t have to leave New Amsterdam to go to any other town to get a service which the government is providing, the government is now taking the service to the people.”
Additionally, he said, that there is a major shift as to what used to happen before, “Because before people used to say we used to see a minister here, a minister there and so we not seeing this minister, we not seeing that minister, what I think is happening and it is slowly happening and people are now recognising, it is that you don’t have to see a minister to get government service because we are taking that service to you.”
The minister further stated that the land policy of the government which is being executed by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission is presently undergoing some amount of review and reform. “We are restructuring a number of things, so the physical facilities which you see are only part of that restructuring which is taking place in land management and the policy in relation to land.” “Everywhere you go the population has expanded, you have a conflict to resolve for land because to the extent to which the population expands it is to that extent that you have commercial, industrial and agricultural use being challenged, and so it is an important issue which the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission I believe they are tackling, and they are tackling that in a very methodical way with the help of international organisations and with the skills available to the commission.”
Harmon congratulated the contractor behind the project, pointing out that some $30 million was budgeted for the sub office in the 2018 budget. He said, in June 2018, he was present at the location for the ceremonial turning of the sod to signal the commencement of construction, as he then pointed out, that now in March, 2019, the building has been completed.
In comparison, Harmon highlighted, that an NIS building located in Skeldon was constructed under the previous administration for over $65 million. “This is three or four or five years later so material prices and everything would have gone up but this is where you get less than $30 million and seven years ago $65 million spent, or allegedly spent on a building that houses the NIS and already it is in requirement of repairs and all sort of things.”
Also, the minister noted, that in keeping with the government’s building standard for public buildings, facilities now have to be constructed to accommodate differently-able persons. He also stated that among other things, new buildings will have to accommodate solar power systems as well as provide access for persons in wheelchairs.
