Improved infrastructure, security for Plantation Hope

Residents of Plantation Hope Housing Scheme, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) will soon benefit from improved infrastructure and security.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, MP, on Wednesday, engaged residents as part of an outreach to the region. He was accompanied by Member of Parliament, Faizal Jaffarally, Regional Chairman, Vickchand Ramphal and Regional Housing Officer, Krisendat Balkaran.

During a meeting with residents, concerns of safety were raised. Residents attributed these to deplorable roads, poor drainage and inadequate streetlights.

Minister Croal committed to donating a number of street lights to the community. He said the security issues will be addressed at the level of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

“Through the Central Housing and Planning Authority, we will immediately donate five lights for you. You will have to strategically decide where is the best position to place them. The security aspect obviously has other implications and that has to dealt with at another level,” he said. 

Further, on the issue of the road, he said his ministry will upgrade the community’s main access road by the end of the year. However, residents will have to prioritise which road will be done.

“There are and there will be additional roads that will be done in the 2022 budget cycle for your community. We just have to have some patience and tolerance. But, immediately, through my ministry, we are committing that we will assist with one road this year and I’m talking within a month to do the procurement process,” Minister Croal explained.

Minister Croal reminded that the Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali led PPP/C Government is committed to addressing the concerns of residents at the community level. It is for this reason that that the administration has earmarked a national outreach programme.

“Communities have been neglected, and with the commitment that you have by your government, and with the aggressive programme you have through your ministries of Local Government and Regional Development with the region for community roads, as well as through the Ministry of Public Works through their roads programme, they have an aggressive road programme.”

The issue of the community’s drainage and irrigation systems and the upgrading of the community ground will be addressed by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC).

Meanwhile, Minister Croal also inspected ongoing infrastructural works at the new Experiment Housing Scheme. Upon completion, Minister Croal says more than 500 house lot beneficiaries will be able to access their lands.