Better days are ahead!

— self-help projects to begin in Shulinab and surrounding villages

— 40 mattresses for Sand Creek Dormitory

— 8 solar street lights for Shulinab

— Makushi Nursery School to receive a facelift

DPI, Guyana, Monday, November 24, 2019

Residents of Shulinab and its surrounding villages left a government engagement on Sunday optimistic that some of their community issues will see a turnaround soon.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, Hon. David Patterson visited Shulinab on Sunday and immediately hit the ground running with realistic solutions for the residents’ concerns.

First up was the Sand Creek dormitory. It was built in 2002 and today date accommodates 174 students of which the majority hail from Shulinab. Lucy Fredericks, from the dormitory committee, explained to the Public Infrastructure Minister, the water tank’s trestle is not elevated enough to produce the required gravitational flow of water to the upper floor of the dorm.

To this end, Minister Patterson pledged to deliver the cement and other materials needed to build trestle. Members of the community will execute these works through a self-help approach. With the growing school population, the Public Infrastructure Minister committed to the delivery of 40 mattresses to the Sand Creek Dormitory.

Continuing with the education sector, attention was brought to the need for repairs to the Makushi Nursery School also in Shulinab. Immediately, Minister Patterson noted a donation of zinc sheets, cement, wooden boards and a chain-linked fence will be made to the village. Residents were assured it is His Excellency, President David Granger’s vision for all Guyanese to benefit from a sound education and therefore the upgrades to the school are critical to making it a reality.

Concerning clean and affordable energy as is mandated by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7, Minister Patterson told the residents of Shulinab that his ministry will extend the reach of its solar systems to the community.

This will be in the form of eight solar street lights that will be placed in locations decided upon by the community. Moreover, as part of an MOU signed with the International Solar Alliance of India and France, Minister Patterson said opportunities for the establishment of mini solar grids in Guyana have been presented. Shulinab was assured that one of these solar grids will be built in the community.

“There will be enough electricity to power your homes,” Minister Patterson said.

Also, a special donation of agriculture equipment and sporting gear was made by the Minister in the presence of Toshao of Shulinab, Nicholas Fredericks. At the same community engagement, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure inked ten contracts of employment for Shulinab youths as part of the third CORE (Community Organised for Restoration of the Environment) team in Region 9.