For some Georgetown is Guyana, and as such they erroneously use developments and happenings which take place there as the yardstick to measure the developmental process for the entire country.

We are well aware of the deteriorated state of the once dubbed “Garden City” now regarded as the “Garbage City.” So if one uses Georgetown to gauge development in other parts of the country then he/she will certainly arrive at the wrong conclusion.

Ever since this government assumed office in 1992 it began to address the run down state of infrastructure and other facilities in rural communities and anyone who travels across this country frequently, with some sense of objectivity, will agree that there has been much improvement in conditions in these communities.

Therefore it is not surprising that the Chairman of Region 8, Senor Bell has said that provision of services and infrastructure there have contributed to the dramatic improvement of the lives of the average citizen over the past few years.

This is very significant, moreso when one considers that access to this region poses severe logistical challenges because of its geography. Unfortunately many Guyanese do not travel much within the country and are not very au fait with their geography and therefore cannot appreciate the difficulties and challenges which face life in hinterland communities.

Mr. Bell told this newspaper that the Region has successfully executed for the benefit of its residents the upgrading of schools and health facilities, thereby causing many settlements to become villages; the establishment of a road link, hitherto nonexistent, with all the communities in the Siparuni sub-region; and the introduction of solar power in some areas.

However, he said that an achievement that is a source of pride to the region is the establishment by the administration, of a 287-mile-long road linking all the villages on the northern side of the Region, and that is the North Pakaraimas.

Those who are not acquainted with the geography of the region will find it difficult to understand and appreciate the importance of this milestone road, while some who are familiar with the situation would ignore its significance because of their narrow political agenda and the fact that even though they ruled or more appropriately misruled this country for 28 consecutive years did nothing tangible to help the people of such communities.

This fair-weather road, Mr. Bell said, has proven to be of great benefit to residents in the north, who previously had no such means of getting around and acquiring goods and materials from the Coastland by road.

Though the road is what is referred to as a dry-weather road, it enhances transportation access, thereby reducing the cost-of-living significantly, as it enables easy transport for goods and services and other essential materials into the communities, as well as aid in the export of food to other areas.

“The cost by air is $165 per pound from Georgetown to anywhere in the sub-region.

Rice landed by air costs $25,000 per bag, and this is just rice. Flour is even more expensive, and so is sugar. A teacher’s salary is about $35,000 to 45,000 per month, so you can well imagine what a great benefit this roadway is to the residents in the north,” he said.

As a result of this road,” Bell said, “we are normally able to take ironmongery, cement and building materials from Georgetown up to these villages at a greatly reduced cost.”

Prior to the implementation of a road programme in the Region, he said, there had been no such road linkage.

Bell, who previously served as Regional Chairman under the People’s National Congress (PNC) before crossing the floor, credited former Local Government Minister, Mr. Harry Persaud Nokta, with being the pioneer of the road programme at reference.

The chairman is correct and it is heartening to note that he has acknowledged Mr. Nokta, who probably knows the geography of the interior of this country perhaps better than anyone, as the pioneer of the road.

Noting that there are 19 villages in the north (Mahdia is in the south), he said the RDC (Regional Democratic Council) had ensured that each had, over the past eight years, benefitted from over $30M worth of developmental works, inclusive of the provision of schools, health outposts, radio sets, outboard engines and even All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs).

Bell also expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Sam Hinds and UNICEF, the former for helping the RDC to provide solar power generated electricity to some areas in the north, and the latter for helping further the Council’s programme, particularly in the area of health care provision.

This certainly is the way to go with respect to rural and hinterland development, but that is not to say that everything is perfect. There is much more to be done and Mr. Bell has conceded to this. However, the situation has certainly improved dramatically compared to what it was a couple of decades ago.

Very importantly the region possesses tremendous potential in agricultural production, capable of producing several commodities which we currently import, including onions and Irish potatoes among several others, but because of the difficulties in ingress and egress these crops are not grown as it would not be feasible to airlift them out of the region.

As soon as a headway is made with respect to getting the produce out in an economically feasible way agricultural production would more than likely boom.

It is pertinent to note that critics and opponents have been accusing this government of only pursuing developmental programmes in Indian-dominated communities but the above clearly dispels this notion, because like Region 8 Indians do not form any significant part of the inhabitants and at the same time developmental programmes are being pursued vigorously in all regions of this country.

Rural development is an integral component of the current administration’s overall development policy because it is one of the means by which poverty can be reduced as well as helping to bridge the gap between the poor and rich.