THE community of Sophia will soon come under the care of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) so that it can begin benefitting from all of the services that the municipality provides.

For years, basic amenities, such as water and electricity, could not be extended to residents of North Pattensen, North Sophia, and Block ‘R’ Extension, among other Sophia, Greater Georgetown communities.

A source on Thursday told Guyana Chronicle that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is currently working out details so that the community can be handed over to the M&CC. Sunday, December 17, has been set tentatively for the official handing over.

Town Clerk Royston King had made a call for the process of handing over Sophia to be expedited so that the community can benefit from vital municipal services.

“At the moment, it is out of the curtilage of the Council. It’s a large community; it’s a valuable community, and we need to move ahead and have it brought under the careful watch and service of the M&CC,” King had said.

Mayor Patricia Chase-Green had supported King’s argument, saying that Sophia has three representatives on the Council, and hence some sort of assistance ought to be granted the community.

“Sophia has three representatives in this Council, and I know they will be looking forward to some assistance from us,” she said, adding: “It’s not fair to say it’s off limits; we have to take responsibility of it, security-wise.”

Meanwhile, basic amenities that the average Guyanese enjoys can be considered luxuries for those Sophia residents, because they do not benefit from the services of the M&CC. Residents have to foot the bill for everything, including garbage disposal, which can cost as much as $500 each week.

But they have had to live with these and other ill conditions, as they are so often reminded that they are just squatters. The communities were not started as structured or regularised areas, and so the residents have to fend for themselves in every instance.

President David Granger had signalled his interest in having the community upgraded to the point that it can be handed over to the M&CC.
Only three of the eight communities in Constituency Five fall under the purview of the M&CC, namely Bel Air, Turkeyen and Liliendaal. The others are North Pattenson, North Sophia, ‘B’ Field, ‘A’ Field, Plum Park, and Farmer’s Field.

In the areas mentioned earlier, theft of electricity and water has become major concerns for the authorities.