As part of its continuing development of the Mocha/Arcadia, East Bank Demerara, community, government has announced plans to invest $150 million to accelerate road development and several initiatives to support the community’s farming activities, a Department of Public Information (DPI) release stated on Wednesday.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy, visited the community on Wednesday, to unveil the developments and address residents’ concerns.
According to the release, some $400 million has been utilised so far to improve roads throughout the community.
It explained that the new investment will ensure the completion of seven roads, including the extension of Nelson Street, the continuation of Plantation Prosperity, the western side of Palm Street and Morning Glory, as well as five additional cross streets. Contractors from Mocha/Arcadia will be hired to carry out the work, with guidance from the Ministry of Public Works.
Indar estimated that the procurement phase for these roads would take no longer than two weeks.
In addition to the road works, the community is expected to have a tractor pump installed for land drainage within a week. Additionally, 27 internal drains and beds were cleared and lifted as part of phase one of the development programme.
In response to concerns aired by community farmers, Mustapha assured that the community will receive all necessary planting materials and other technical support from the government.
“For us to be successful, you the farmers have to be successful, that is why we are making these kinds of allocations,” the minister stated.
After unveiling the improvements, the ministers engaged residents in a walkabout exercise, which provided an opportunity to witness the upgrades, inspect areas for development and provide general feedback.
McCoy urged residents to exercise patience, as the government continues to work to address the issues affecting them.
“It [the development to the community] is not going to happen all in one day… It is going to take phases and it is going to take incremental steps”, he said.
