— gov’t ministers talk up plans to develop Guyana
— warn hinterland residents of PPP propaganda

GOVERNMENT ministers have appealed to Hiawa, Region Nine residents to not be misled by false rumours being peddled by the opposition which seek to create ethnic division and stall the development plans of the current administration.

On Sunday, continuing on the massive ministerial outreach to the Rupununi, Ministers of Public Infrastructure David Patterson; Natural Resources Raphael Trotman; Public Telecommunications Cathy Hughes; and Social Protection Amna Ally, gathered with residents at the Hiawa Primary school.

The residents came out in their numbers– both young and old– to voice their concerns and listen to the planned developmental projects of the government.

When Minister Hughes stood up to speak, she got rapt attention from the villagers as she spoke of the possibilities for education, health, entrepreneurship and general communication through Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

“It is my joy to be able to serve under this man of integrity [President David Granger] and to be able to start to map out the vision of this government to make sure that we make it possible for you and all of us to connect more to the Internet,” she informed residents.
The minister pointed out that under the former administration, there was an over G$2M cable expected to be built for better telephone communication in the region, but the money was squandered.

However, Hughes announced that the tower just outside Lethem which had not been connected since 2012, will be connected under the current administrative region as soon as this coming Tuesday which will improve communication in the villages.

Meanwhile, she announced plans for smart classrooms and free ICT hubs in villages such as Hiawa, as she recognised that there are many young people in the region with the passion to enhance their learning.

Helping the villagers to understand the progress of these projects and their feasibility, she listed places in Region Nine such as St. Ignatius, Aishalton, Karasabai, Iwokrama, Masakaneri, Sand Creek and Annai which already have ICT hubs.

Minister Hughes also spoke to the possibilities in the use of the Internet for advertising businesses, receiving tele-medication, completing applications for documents such as passports and drivers’ licences and for accessing the Education Ministry’s e-textbooks online.

She also noted that training will be available for such through finances set aside in the 2019 budget.
Minister Hughes encouraged the villages to make use of the present and forthcoming opportunities.

“For us to develop and move forward we have to have unity. We cannot be talking disunity; we have to work together and as these things are there in the computer, we are depending on you the residents to use it for you own benefit.”

Prior to the meeting, Minister Trotman visited the Nappi reservoir, the largest of its kind in the country, which was made to service the agricultural needs in the area.

The 4.5M cubic meter, man-made body of water was handed over to the three villages of Nappi, Hiawa and Parishara, after the President decided to take corrective action following a severe dry season in 2016.

“Now, in consultation with the villagers, they are looking at other things like tourism and recreation [to utilise the reservoir], so the ministry has asked Conservation International to come up with a management plan, because we built it but now the sustainable use and management of the facility needs some expertise,” he said.

He also told of the collaboration between the ministries of Natural Resources and Public Infrastructure to construct the Manari Road bypass, which will replaces the once precarious, winding road which took the life of an individual last year.

“We’re going to open that in another month’s time before the rodeo and hopefully that will be the end of loss of life [on that road],” he said.

Other projects in progress are the roads from Annai to Lethem; Lethem to Shulinab; and Mabura to Kurupukari

Speaking further on the topic of road improvement and solar energy, Minister Patterson updated residents about ongoing and upcoming projects.
He explained to the villagers that upon asuming office, the President gave him the hefty but necessary task of linking the hinterland region to the coast to put an end to the unequal development inherited.

However, working along with several government ministries and agencies, the private sector was able to begin and complete a number of projects in the region, while the National Toshaos Council now works to bring priority matters to the attention of the ministry.

To the applause of the villagers, he announced the commencement of road works from Lethem to Nappi, Parishara and Hiawa by March.
He also spoke to the ongoing maintenance work on the Linden to Lethem Road; the completed road to Krowdar and farther down to the South Rupununi; and the ongoing construction of the road to Karasabai further north to the Pakaraima Mountain.
Regarding solar energy, he announced the government’s request placed for US$15M loan worth of solar panels through the International Solar Alliance to which Guyana is a signatory and which will see a number of solar farms being strategically placed across villages the country.

Patterson noted that one is slated for the close-knitted villages of Nappi, Parishara and Hiawa, which will be powerful enough to power the majority of the households.
“We came to sell ourselves to you and ask you to judge us on our performance. We’ve done all these things in three years; we have a vision; I’m letting you know where we want to go and we’re asking you to judge us on our performance,” he said.

DO NOT BE MISLED
During their interaction, Minister Ally and Patterson made efforts to correct false notions planted in the community by opposing politicians.

“I was told this morning that the PPP came into your little village and told you that they will know how you will vote on Election Day. I don’t know why they think they can mislead you. You are intelligent people and you must know that they can’t know how you vote. When you go into the booth it’s you and the ballot paper alone,” Minister Ally said.

“They can’t know and we can’t know either. But what I want to say to you Hiawa is that we have you in our hearts. We have been doing things for Hiawa and the Rupununi; we are the ones who have been developing these communities and we are going to continue to develop these communities.”

Meanwhile, Patterson debunked the rumour that the present administration does not recognise Guyana’s indigenous peoples as the country’s first peoples.
He also spoke to the false accusation peddled that the government had misused a large procurement of hundreds of solar panels.

The minister revealed that following investigations, the former administration procured the equipment through a non-existent company in Italy, squandering some US$20M.
Touching on the trending topic of the holding of new Regional and General Elections, Patterson explained to the residents the importance of fresh house-to-house registration, which he said the opposition is downplaying.

The last house-to-house registration in Guyana was conducted in 2008 and new registrations were slated for in the 2019 budget to the tune of $3B.

“You think about it and ask yourself quietly this evening or when you have your next Village Council meeting, what is wrong with house-to-house registration?” What is wrong with allowing persons who would have [attained the necessary age] to get on the voters’ list and be able to vote?” Patterson said.

“What they’re scared of is rejection and they’re scared of putting their 23 years of stewardship against our three.”

At the meeting, the government handed over two bicycles to children living a great distance away from the school; a sewing machine to a young female entrepreneur; tools to the villagers accepted by the senior council and tokens to those from the village who assisted in the smooth flow of the meeting.

Other items will soon be delivered to villages, including sports materials which were unable to arrive with the ministers to the village on time.
Entertainment came in the form of songs and poems, while Deputy Toshao Sylvester Fredericks translated the remarks of the ministers in Macushi for thorough understanding of the older villagers.