Chairman of the Hogstye/Lancaster Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Sheron Smith along with residents yesterday held a protest outside of the NDC’s compound calling for more inclusion as they claimed that regional officials are bypassing them in the decision-making process. Additionally, they also called for a meeting with President Irfaan Ali.
Smith on the protest line yesterday said that the present administration has “killed” local democracy within Guyana.
“There is no such thing as local democracy here in Guyana, you know why? The NDC council knows nothing that happens, every decision is being made at the regional level and by extension central government and then they would come in, very much disrespectful, come in to the community do what they would have to do without notifying the council.”
She continued, “That is how disrespectful this government is, we only hear by hearsay that there is a cash grant issuing to residents that is in need of it, all the other NDCs are aware, you know why because all the NDC in Region Six, the only one that is managed by APNU is Hogstye/Lancaster, all the other NDCs are fully well aware of whats happening.”
Smith then commented on President Ali’s ‘One Guyana’ slogan stating that “when you say one, you speak unity, you speak togetherness, you speak fairness, you do right by the people, you love them despite of their status or what class there in, you ensure they get what they need to get but when you are going to divert from that that is not one Guyana.”
Smith yesterday charged that there has not been a machine working within their area for months despite pleas to have drains cleaned.
However, Region Six Vice Chairman, Zamal Hussain yesterday stated on social media that two machines have been working in the area.
Meanwhile, another major issue Smith highlighted was the NDC’s building which is currently in a deteriorated condition. She said, that they have pleaded for years for assistance in repairing or rebuilding the structure as according to her sometimes they are forced to keep their statutory meetings under the bus shed outside of the compound. As such she is calling on President Ali to visit to see first-hand the situation they are operating in.
Residents who joined Smith yesterday afternoon chanted, ‘We want to meet with the President urgent’, while their placards included ‘The duty of the government is to provide opportunity for all citizens.’
Hernie Park, Vice Chairman of the NDC stressed that the protest action yesterday has nothing to do with politics but rather is their last means to highlight how they are being treated as residents. He said, “This is not about politics, this is to respect our government, we respect our government and so we are demanding the same treatment like any other person.”
Elaborating on the $200,000 cash grant, Hernie opined that there are specific people who are being selected for the grants. “We are saying that is bad, we are demanding that the government treat all of us equally.”
Based on the information gathered, the various NDCs are not responsible for distributing the grant but rather most of the regional councilors would have taken it upon themselves to highlight people within their areas with small businesses for the grants after which those people would have to go through the process for selection.
Hussain on social media yesterday also said that presently 28 roads are under construction within the NDC.
