Better roads for Foulis residents
Several community roads, including the main access road in Foulis, East Coast Demerara (ECD) will soon undergo rehabilitation to allow residents to transverse with ease.
The repair works will be made possible through collaboration between the Local Government and Public Works ministries.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, MP, said Tuesday, that the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC) will undertake additional road works in the village.
“We have already done the assessment on many of these roads but they will come back and start some additional road works to the ones that we committed to last week because we would not be able to do all 21 roads so what can be repaired between now and the end of the year- we will start do some repairs on these roads.”
He noted thatwhile the government is primarily focused on providing such amenities to areas that have been severely neglected, he urged residents to discuss with the relevant authorities to decide on which roads are a priority.
The minister also committed to undertaking maintenance works on several bridges within the area, one of which is being used by school children.
Meanwhile, residents also highlighted their grievance about garbage collection in the community and the ways in which others dispose of their waste. It was disclosed that eight of the nine constituencies are being served by the Buxton/Foulis Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), while Cevons Waste Management caters for that community.
NDC chairperson, Roger Evelyn, told the minister that while he inherited the matter after assuming his position, he has been lobbying for different methods to be used for the residents.
He explained that the local organ’s capacity is quite limited which led to this approach. However, he said he was unaware about the situation where residents had to pay for garbage collection.
Minister Dharamlall agreed that solid waste management continues to be a serious matter in the country which the government plans to tackle by playing a greater role in enhancing such practices. As such, he told the gathering that the private entity will have to collect the garbage from the community first as per the agreement established by the NDC.
To complement this effort, the minister also committed to employing about a dozen persons as Community Enhancement Workers (CEWs) to preserve the community’s aesthetics and infrastructure.
“I need you guys to choose those who genuinely need a job so please don’t choose your friend or four or five persons from one household. At least the eleven persons need to come from eleven different households.”
Currently, 48 CEWs are being supervised and managed by the Buxton/Foulis NDC.
The Regional Executive Officer, Donald Gajraj was also present at the meeting.