RESIDENTS in the community of Barabina, Region 1, have been given the opportunity to earn money and at the same time bring closure to their long standing road issue.Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker, during a visit to the community over the weekend, informed residents that the contract granted to Joshi Construction to construct the Barabina

road revetment was terminated and would be given to the residents to complete the outstanding work.
The decision was collectively made among the Ministries of Public Works and Local Government, and the Regional Administration, given that the road project is being executed under the Ministry of Public Works and monitored by the region.
The project has faced several delays and Minister Whittaker said that Government should have terminated the contract with Joshi Construction earlier, but “one of the last things you want to be doing is changing contractor in the middle of a project,” he said.
“You want to do your best to have that contractor shoulder the responsibility and finish what they started… a contractor who signs agreeing to do a job for x dollars ought to in some way push to complete his job,” he explained.

The Ministry and the region had on several occasions spoken with the contractor to complete the job.
Joshi Construction has been paid only for the value of the work that it completed and therefore the balance will be warranted to the region, which would contract persons from within the community to supply the material and labour for the outstanding work, Minister Whittaker explained.
He noted that the residents, through individuals, can contribute to the conclusion of the revetment work by either selling laterite or supplying their labour.
Minister Whittaker pointed out that it was now in the hands of the residents to deliver the project.
The Minister also updated residents on the effort to supply the community with electricity. They were informed that Cummings Electrical has been contracted to plant poles in the community, and is soon to begin the process.
Whilst in the region, the Minister also met with and engaged the residents of White Water on developments in the community and the region, including Government’s support in the education sector.
These include not only providing facilities, text books and trained teachers, but assistance such as support for uniform, meals/snacks and now a $10,000 grant to assist with transportation.
Guyana has reached the stage where having achieved universal primary level education, it is now seeking to take secondary education to the children.
“… There are some things we will do today and some things we will do tomorrow, but we have been making progress over the years…”  Minister Whittaker said.
He also spoke to the residents about ensuring the contractors on government projects deliver, and in this regard, called on the residents to engage, work with and monitor the contractors.
Also highlighted was the need for the residents to diversify their production. “I have seen some farmers in Amerindian communities now doing cash crops…I have seen some farmers rearing poultry…there is nothing wrong with that, the worst thing we can do is put all our eggs in one basket we must not depend on one crop only, because if anything goes wrong…we are going to be in trouble, so we need to look at many other areas,” the Minister said.
Residents were also updated on the government movements in reimbursing those agencies and projects affected by the 2014 Budget cuts imposed by the combined Opposition.
“We cannot allow the Opposition to have control and to feel happy over denying you resources that you need to continue development,” Minister Whittaker explained. (GINA)