…residents praise gov’t for improved roads, other facilities

By Vanessa Braithwaite
THE community of Amelia’s Ward, one of the largest in the country, has benefitted from a number of developmental projects over the last four years by the Government of Guyana in its effort to ensure that the needs of the growing population are met.
The community has benefitted from infrastructural, social and educational projects and residents as well as officials have expressed satisfaction over the strides made; some, however, have posited that there is still room for improvement.

It has also pushed residents to form themselves into community groups, in an effort to provide the needed support to the government. In the area of infrastructure, the community has benefitted from the rehabilitation of scores of access roads, many of which are main roads. For 2019 alone, the Main Street road was completed; this road gives access to the communities of Lovers Lane, Central Amelia’s Ward and Cinderella City.

Major Relief

Residents, especially those living in Cinderella City, said that construction of the road has brought major relief to them, since previously, they were forced to walk long distances to access transportation. Hire cars had absolutely refused or demanded more money to traverse the former potholed and crater-strewn road. Other roads in Lover’s Lane and the new schemes including the Second and Third Phases of Amelia’s Ward, were also rehabilitated and in some cases, constructed, to provide access to new communities.

The construction of these new roads in the new schemes, also came with the allocation of 400 house lots in Amelia’s Ward, since 2016. These house lots were made available after basic amenities such as roads, water and electricity were established. To provide a better scope for housing, the construction of housing units was also completed by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), as part of the first of four phases. These phases will see 60 housing units being constructed in the community. Presently, 500 house lots are being further developed in Amelia’s Ward and will be ready for allocation in 2020; this is according to subject minister, Annette Ferguson.

Also, to ensure that these new schemes are provided for adequately, construction of the Bamia Nursery School has commenced; this will be followed by construction of the Bamia Primary School. These two new education institutions will serve the children coming out of these new communities; Amelia’s Ward presently has one primary school and two nursery schools. The new families will also receive adequate water supply, as the Guyana Water Incorporated is digging an additional well in South Amelia’s Ward. Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Richard Van-West Charles, related to this publication that the new well is expected to meet the needs of the growing population in Amelia’s Ward.
Several communities were also brightened with street lights within the last year.

Social Development

In August, Amelia’s Ward received its first community centre which will add to its socio-economic development. The centre was gifted to the community by the New Horizon 2019 team. The centre will be fully functional by January, as its custodians are currently putting the necessary equipment and furnishing in place. The centre will play a role in the development of youths, women, children and seniors, as well as sports development, since a basketball court will be constructed in the near future.

To ensure that the youths of Amelia’s Ward are integrally involved and that they benefit from all of what is offered through government and privately sponsored programmes, is young municipal councillor Yanick Graham. Graham is currently pushing the momentum for youth involvement, so that they can tap into programmes that will provide funding for training, internships, scholarships, etc.

Constituency Representative for Amelia’s Ward, Lawrence Simon, posited that as a result of the development, Amelia’s Ward has seen an increase in entrepreneurship, which shows economic development. “We would have seen an increase in shops, we would have also seen the establishment of an ATM machine,” Simon related. Simon said that several farmers in Amelia’s Ward have received farmlands, which will also boost agricultural production in the community. “That by itself shows that there is a growing need for agriculture that was met by the distribution of these lands. This was done simultaneously with the regularisation of house lots in South Amelia’s Ward and other parts of Amelia’s Ward and now residents are legal owners of lands they squatted on for years.” In relation to road construction, Simon said that many communities such as Moore’s Avenue, now have access roads for the first time in more than 40 years and this he deemed “astronomical development. “Amelia’s Ward is more environmentally friendly, the livelihoods of people are improved and the Linden Mayor and Town Council also played a major role in this regard,” the councillor said.

I Feel Great About It
Amelia’s Ward businesswoman and resident of the new scheme, Shondal Chan, also commended the government for the improvements, particularly those in her community. “I feel great about it and the people in the community feel good about it, because when you have a community with nice roads, it brings easier access, it lifts the value of your community,” Chan said.

As a parent, she said that she also welcomes the new school at Bamia as the children are presently utilising a multi-purpose facility as their school. As regards the improvement in the water service, Chan recalled her 20 years as a resident in Amelia’s Ward and how things have improved drastically. “When we first got there, we used to be fetching water from like half a mile away from home; we [still] have to be fetching water, but now we are getting water at home and with the new well, it will even be better. I think these things are very nice and it will give the community a boost.

Touching on the social aspect, resident Eon Lindore said the community centre is a historic development in Amelia’s Ward. “Having a community centre, it can help with community activities. I remembered years ago we had to be meeting [at] a residents’ place to have community meetings, but now having a community centre there, everybody would be able to meet there. He is looking forward for the building to be used as an empowerment venue. “I’m hoping that community stuff can be done at the building; for example, women can have sewing classes; cake decoration classes; children could learn ‘lil’ phonics and you can have counselling sessions for teenagers and even big women, big women need counselling too….these things can help us as a people and a community,” Lindore said.