Cane Grove residents to get rehabilitated main road soon
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, August 29, 2018
After several years residents of Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara, will soon benefit from a newly rehabilitated main access road.
During a community meeting held at the Cane Grove Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson today committed to repairing the road.
Minister Ferguson explained to the Council that though the Ministry of Public Infrastructure will give the necessary support to NDCs and Municipalities, it has an annual budget with programmes catered for.
“I said to the council that whatever savings we have from the 2018 budget we will see how best we can assist. We may not be able to do the entire stretch of road in 2018. First, my Region Four district engineer responsible for miscellaneous and bridges will return to the community and meet with the Chairman and Councillors. He will also assess the affected area, do the necessary measurement and cost and we will take it from there,” Minister Ferguson explained.
It was brought to the minister’s attention that the residents in Cane Grove area do not pay rates and taxes and the NDC receives a subvention of $4Million from central government. Minister Ferguson encouraged the NDC to change this policy so that the community can benefit from greater development. She emphasised the importance of the NDC and the government working more closely in the future for the advancement of the community.
The residents were encouraged to go out and vote at the upcoming local government elections and reminded that it is an opportunity to elect councils and councillors who will ensure the progress of their respective communities.
Chairperson, of the NDC, Nemawattie Baldeo is pleased with the outcome of the meeting. She expressed her satisfaction with knowing that the main access road will be rehabilitation.
“We are grateful for Minister Ferguson’s commitment to helping us. We really need help with the road especially for our older people, school children and pregnant women who have to walk distance. Moreover, it’s predominantly an agricultural area and we need our road fixed to transport our produce especially since it’s the only road we have to access anywhere,” Baldeo explained.
Other issues raised at the meeting focused on housing and water which Minister Ferguson promised to raise with the relevant subject ministers.
This visit to the Cane Grove NDC is a part of series of meetings with various Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) on the East Coast Demerara, Minister Ferguson has on her schedule.
Earlier in the year, Minister Ferguson met with representatives from the Plaisance NDC.
By: Ranetta La Fleur.
Images: Jameel Mohamed.