Dear Editor,
The Junior Minister of Local Government, Anand Persaud, visited Beterverwagting on Sunday 23rd October to hand over two (2) STIHL weeding machines, and a few cutlasses. A few months back there was a hue and cry when Government Ministers gave the Buxton Community a Basket Ball Backboard and a Sports field weeder (Tractor). This visit is simply a demonstration of the continued tokenism that this administration displays when dealing with African communities. In his address to the gathering, the Minister called on the people to avoid taking political positions in dealing with village development, but made it clear that as a Minister of the PPP/C Government, it would be remiss of him not to extol the efforts of the current administration.
Many present on learning that the Junior Minister of Local Government would be in attendance anticipated in the least he would be bringing a message to the community from the administration to at least assure villagers that the Government is on their side with the embarrassing fiasco over John Fernandes Limited’s attempt to grab land from our community. The Minister simply walked away from the gathering after telling the One Guyana story. Albeit, amidst shouts to say something about the situation. The visit by the Minister under whose Ministry the Operations of the BV/Triumph NDC falls, should be juxtaposed alongside a visit one week earlier by the Minister of Labour. Emanating from the earlier visit one hears about the failure of the Opposition to support the people which is nothing more than a cheap political jab.
However, from the Minister within the Ministry of Local Government, one would have anticipated that being privy to intimate knowledge of the Local Government system and of the happenings within NDCs, would have engaged the people in a profound way. Showing his back to them was his way of saying ‘alyuh deh pon alyuh own’. A few months back Minister Dharamlall visited the community, from his visit an audit of the NDC was promised, the community awaits. There are a number of what appears to be malpractices, some bordering on criminal which this current NDC has been engaged in among which are: –
· Attempts to sell private lands
o The attempt to sell John Fernandes Limited the entire Section G of Beterverwagting is but one
o A family has the NDC before the court for selling their farmlands
· Leasing of road and road reserves to Business places
o Gafoors Limited has fenced off and erected a structure on the Bata Road, and Afraz Mohamed has erected and recently extended it on the northern road reserve of Agricultural Road.
· Allowing businesses to build contrary to the Environment Health Officer’s decision.
o Smiling Supermarket, JB’s Supermarket, Nisam Mohamed on the Railway Embankment and Afraz Mohamed on the northern extension of Agricultural Road.
· Unprincipled distribution of house lots in New Generation Housing Scheme.
o The members of the group that were originally granted the plot were not considered.
o The criteria were too limited,
§ Only for young entrepreneurs, denying nurses, carpenters, teachers etc.,
o The apparent criteria for distribution were not adhered to
§ Non villagers got, in breach of a criterion
§ One person got a double lot
§ The final selection was skewed to favour Councilors and associates.
Editor, the complaints of residents are indeed numerous, many of which I am sure the good minister would have heard, yet his choice action was to give us his back and this is more annoying since we were twice asked by the organisers to wait until he arrives to start the meeting.
Sincerely,
Elton McRae
Councilor
BV/Triumph NDC
