Govt is working to ensure all Guyanese benefit – Min. Cummings
DPI, Guyana, Sunday, June 28, 2019
“The Coalition Government is for all the people and will continue to work to ensure that all communities are developed and improved…We are a here to take care of all Guyanese,” was the assurance made when Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Dr. Karen Cummings, and Public Security Minister Hon. Ramjattan held a community meeting with Region 2.
During the interactive session held at the Marlborough Primary School, on June 28, in the Lower Pomeroon, Minister Cummings reminded residents of the developments – $8Million in revetment works; $4.7Million in school repairs and $7Million in health facilities rehabilitation – that have benefitted the riverine community. Dr Cummings also urged the residents to ensure their names are on the Voters’ List while explaining the importance of being registered and the implications of failing to do so.
Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan
Minister Ramjattan stated that he was happy to see residents keen to understand what the government had in store for them. The agricultural basis of the 200-strong community will see a renewed focus being placed on dredging the flood-prone river, he added. The “blessing of oil”, he said, must be appreciated, “With that kind of wealth we can desilt bigger rivers than the Pomeroon…. however, the nature of that resource must be managed properly. We want to develop agricultural areas; we have to diversify so that the country is not dependent solely on oil revenues.”
With approximately $73Billion (US$350M) expected annually in the initial phase and then billions more after, Minister Ramjattan explained that money will be used to build the nation’s infrastructure. “We have to bring those facilities to these areas. We have to bring more scholarships to improve the lives of your children. You must prepare your children to become the next doctors and nurses.”
He asked residents to appreciate, for example, the vastly improved security measures such as the recently commissioned CTV Data Command Centre at Liliendaal which is a critical component of the Smart City Project. The fact that Guyana has a DNA testing facility via the Forensic Laboratory was cited as another example. More training accorded to police ranks and efforts to weed out the bad elements, the minister noted was indicative of the astute leadership of H.E. President David Granger and the Coalition’s efforts to secure the country as a whole versus what obtained under the previous 23 years, of the PPP.
Issues raised by residents included the need for the aforementioned infrastructure especially for farming, agro-processing facilities, a cell tower to boost communication, an ICT hub, better health facilities and transportation for health workers, improved housing for teachers, a repaired water ambulance….
A donation of sports gear, school and agricultural supplies was made to the residents.
