President urges Corriverton residents to reflect on last 20 years of development -as they celebrate town week activities

Georgetown, GINA, September 22, 2013

 

 

 

The celebrations of its 43rd anniversary observances as a town should be seen as a time to reflect on the gains that Corriverton,  and the country as a whole have made over the last two decades,  President Donald Ramotar said last evening.

 

The Head of State in delivering the key note address to formally end the annual Corriverton Town Week event, noted that the Berbice community has almost all of the facilities available in Georgetown at present.

The President said that the community is known for its aggressive business entrepreneurs and other outstanding citizens, “who have made lots of contributions to the development of the community and Guyana”.

 

President Ramotar added that he would like to see Guyana achieve the status of a developed country in his lifetime. “We can do it because we have the resources. The most important resource we have is that of our people and the quality of our people is known throughout the world.”

 

The President spoke of the country’s gains over the last 20 years in terms of health care, housing and water,  but reminded those in attendance that more developments still remain to be achieved.

“We have the people, we have the resources, but we need the infrastructure to go to that level,” he stated.

He said the Amaila Falls Hydro Project was a step in this direction as cheap, reliable power was necessary for industries  to move forward in the  production of goods and services,  and the creation of  more jobs. The transformational project was halted by the opposition who voted it down in the National Assembly.

 

The issue of crime which recently surged in the Berbice area was noted by President Ramotar,  who said that ways were being examined to see how more resources could be deployed to combat this. He expressed his sympathy over  the recent deaths of two businessmen, “who contributed substantially to the region’s development” and called on the residents to do more to aid in the crime fight by forming community policing groups .

The academic achievements by students were also noted,  along with the performance  of world rated powerlifting champion, 18 -year old Gumendra Shewdas.

 

According to Chairman of the Corriverton Town Week Committee, Mohammed Razack, the observances began with an inter-faith service, flood light football competitions, a Family Fun Day, cycle races and mini exposition and stage show.