Residents of Soesdyke, Timehri issues addressed during ministerial outreach
Residents and groups representing communities from Soesdyke, Timehri and surrounding areas had their issues and concerns addressed at a ministerial outreach on the East Bank Demerara today.
Minister of Local Government, Hon. Nigel Dharamlall and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Kwame McCoy hosted the community meeting at the Soesdyke/Huis’t Coverden Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) compound.
Minister McCoy told he residents that the PPP/C government is committed to serving all Guyanese, and sees them as partners in development. Therefore, the administration is conscious of the need to connect with the people and to keep track of their developments and issues so that programmes and policies could be tailored meet them.
“You can rest assured that you will not be neglected by the People’s Progressive Party Administration at no time and we ask you to ensure that you work in the best interest of your communities and the development of yourselves and family and for the country as a whole…we have a tall order before us, but it is an order which we have committed ourselves to fulfilling,” Minister McCoy told the gathering.
He said the Administration has started implementing its manifesto promises, which is a holistic programme that will impact the lives of all Guyanese in 2021 and beyond.
Meanwhile, Minister Dharamlall explained that part of his duties as the Local Government Minister is to get into the communities and bring the issues affecting residents to the forefront and to ensure they are addressed.
He said the Ministry has established some 200 Community Development Councils, which work in collaboration with the NDCs to provide support and leadership at the community level.
Following the opening ceremony, the ministers met one-on-one with the residents and groups who raised several issues regarding electricity, water, roads, water, education, social services and regularisation of housing areas.
The first group was the Timehri North CDC which is calling for the area to be regularised so that they could get leases for their lands. Minister Dharamlall promised to engage the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission and the Ministry of Housing and Water on the matter.
Ms. Joyann Hall, Chairman of the Kairuni CDC lauded the programme which she said allowed persons to interact directly with the Ministers and other officials on issues within their communities.
She told the DPI that job opportunities in her community, especially for youth, was a pressing issue. Minister Dharamlall encouraged her to engage her people on community projects and to create a proposal which the Government would support once it is viable.
Meanwhile, Ms. Malissa Mondo of Yarowkabra, asked for help with solar panels so that students could have access to electricity for their virtual learning.
“Visiting the Ministers today, I think that our issues will be resolved. He said he will send a technical person to assess the situation to see what support can be provided,” Ms. Mondo said. The Ministers’ engagement forms part of the Government’s national outreach programme where officials are fanning out into communities countrywide to address the concerns of residents.