Electricity for 27 Blairmont families within 45 days

Twenty-seven Blairmont families will receive electricity for the first time in years before the end of March.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Hon. Deodat Indar made this pledge to them during a meeting in the Mahaica-Berbice (Region Five) community today.  He was accompanied by Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Hon. Anand Persaud.

Residents complained about the lack of electricity, during an outreach Minister Persaud held in the area in November. On that occasion, he reminded them that “President Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s Government is not an Administration in isolation,” and that their concerns would be conveyed to the Cabinet.

Today, Minister Indar described the situation at Blairmont as “sad.” He noted that the “high tension wire is just over the peoples’ houses which means that electricity is there and yet, over the past years, the residents cannot get access. These are not people who are squatting, these are people who have their property and have it in their names.”

Based on the geography of the community, the Minister said the houses at the front of the village would be linked the electricity grid first, then the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) would have to plant poles for the remaining residents to benefit.

“But I can assure you that all 27 houses, in 45 days, will have electricity,” he said.

Residents also raised several concerns about the quality of water being provided by the Guyana Water Incorporated, the frequent burglaries, and land matters at the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary-Agriculture Development Authority.

Minister Indar will officially write the subject ministers to address the matters raised. Minister Persaud has also invited the residents to a one-day special engagement early next week to sort out critical problems.

D’Edward Village

Meanwhile, the prolonged low voltage being experienced by residents of D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice, would soon be addressed as Minister Indar had instructed GPL to begin an assessment to remedy the years-long problem.

“The GPL team was with me and when we looked, we can’t identify one single transformer. Now, if you don’t have a transformer, it automatically tells you there will be low voltage issue. A team will go there by the end of the week to assess it and look at the diagram of the area and see what suitable transformer have to go there and GPL will have to go and fix that issue,” the Minister relayed.

During his walkabout the village, Ms. Sumintra Persaud, 91, pleaded for her street to be rehabilitated. Due to her age and the derelict road, the woman said she cannot travel without discomfort. The dilapidated road is also challenging for vehicles to traverse.

The calls for the installation of streetlights were also addressed. Regional Chairman, Mr. Vickchand Ramphal explained that the community’s Neighbourhood Democratic Council would receive 28 streetlights and installation is set to commence next week. The lights were procured under the 2020 Emergency Budget. Additional lighting equipment has also been included in the 2021 Local Government Budget.

Reports about issues related to the sluice would also be addressed soon.

Further, following an inspection of the ongoing works, Minister Indar said he was displeased about the pace of works by contractors assigned to complete the Burma Road.

“I am seeing the piece of road that had to be built at Champagne, mobilisation was skimped and I will be dealing with those contractors who are assigned to do these two roads and the two at Bacchus and Pump Streets at Blairmont as well. We are on the ground monitoring taxpayers’ funded projects,” Minister Indar said.

Member of Parliament, Hon. Faizal Jafferally also attended the engagement. At the close of the exercise, both MP Jafferally and the Regional Chairman said the outreach was successful.