“We need to work together”- Min. Cummings urges Wineperu residents
─Pledges support to Wineperu Primary School’s development
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Scores of people living in Wineperu, a tightly knit community about a thirty-minute boat ride south of Bartica, on June 19, attended a ministerial community engagement.
At the opening of discussions, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings urged the residents to work together to aid in the development of their community.
“We need to work together for the good of our community and our country,” she encouraged.
Minister Cummings further emphasised, “in order for us to move forward, we must have unity.”
Moreover, as a trained medical doctor, Minister Cummings wasted no time in offering solutions to the healthcare issues that were aired at the meeting. Some residents were worried about the shortage of staff at the community’s health centre along with lack of a reliable ambulatory service. Speaking to these issues, Minister Cummings urged qualified residents to get on board to be of service to their community. The Foreign Affairs Minister explained that the Government’s desire is to train persons with the skills needed to build sustainable communities, rather than relying heavily on outside personnel.
“The idea is to train persons to bring them back to work in the community,” Minister Cummings stated.
Further into the discussion session, the state of the Wineperu Primary School was brought into focus. Fidel Garraway said, “the school need a library. We need an Information Technology Lab.” In response to this issue, Minister Cummings pledged to forward the matter to the relevant ministry.
As the community engagement ended, Minister Cummings ventured into the community to take a tour of the primary school to interface with the teachers and students. During remarks to the 36 pupils that make up the school, Minister Cummings encouraged the children to remain focused on their educational pursuits. The minister also pledged the Coalition Government’s unwavering support for the students’ academic performance, adding “We will look to see how we can improve your learning ability by giving you the tools that you can use so you can be better boys and girls for our country and your future.”
Wineperu is a community of approximately 200 individuals with logging as its main economic activity. The community engagement occurred after the Government Comes to You outreach that was held in Bartica.
Images: Kawise Wishart