RESIDENTS of Mabaruma and nearby communities banded themselves together on Sunday and carried out “self-help” maintenance works to the roadway there.The action was taken as motorists cited substandard works which were undertaken to several parts of the roadways in the sub-region late last year by the authorities.
According to businesswoman Susan Boyer, recently several persons including herself and another businesswoman, Lolita Wong, decided to organise a “self-help” activity to fix pot-holed sections of the roadway along the public road passing through the town of Mabaruma.

The initiative was taken, since traditionally residents in the past had decided not to wait on the regional authorities to fix the roadways in the region.
She said that contact was made with the town clerk and assistance was provided in the form of earth to be used in capping the roadway.
On Sunday, several residents, including men and women, turned out in their numbers and with several tools including wheel-barrows, shovels and spades, began patching the roadway. The group undertook works between the Mabaruma township area and the administrative section of the town, filling potholes and rolling earth over loose sections of the road.
Residents told this publication that works which were undertaken by the authorities late last year were not timed properly, since the rainy weather in December had washed away most of the bitumen which was used to cap the surface along the roadway. Plans are afoot to continue works on other sections of the road in the weeks ahead.