– discusses how they can better their situation
President Bharrat Jagdeo continued his campaign of reaching out to the grassroots in society when he met residents of West Ruimveldt yesterday to highlight the importance of home-ownership, and improved drainage and irrigation. The venture began with a meeting at the squatting area in the vicinity of the John Fernandes, Sanata Textile Limited, Industrial Site Ruimveldt, and continued with a tour of the West Ruimveldt housing scheme where residents came out to greet him and highlight issues in their community regarding roads, drainage and irrigation.
During the tour, the President was joined by Deputy Mayor of Georgetown Robert Williams, and suggested that a meeting be held with West Ruimveldt residents to discuss a proposal for a community clean up project.
At the St Pius X Roman Catholic Church, the Head of State met senior citizens gathered for a meeting and promised $2M by next week to support those citizens in the area.
The offer was received with loud cheers as the President proceeded to tell them of the gradual increase in pension and social assistance over the years.
“When you add the pension and the public assistance, it’s about $3B. It looks small at one level; but when you add up all the money that pensioners get across the country it works out to $3B each year,” President Jagdeo said.
Accompanied by Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, and Presidential Adviser on Community Development, Odinga Lumumba, the President engaged in a highly interactive and fruitful discussion with the residents of the John Fernandes squatting area which has 60 houses and a population of 250.
The meeting followed an ongoing condition survey undertaken by the Central Housing and Planning Authority to assess the options of improving the living conditions of the residents.
A week ago President Jagdeo met a small group of residents from the area who raised several concerns; and at yesterday’s meeting he told them that he is fully aware of the difficulties they face.
“Many people sometimes have no choice but to live wherever they could have found a place to live. There was a very difficult time in our lives and in our society when that was the only option… the majority of the people were driven by need and many of them had to live in very inhumane conditions, on reserves and areas that they found that are not appropriate to long-term development,” President Jagdeo said.
Such a situation should not continue, President Jagdeo said, as he believes that people should have the privilege of ‘owning their own.’
“I have always said that this country has so much that every Guyanese must be able to own something that they can develop and pass on to their families, that they can call their own, that no one can take away from them, not the government or anyone else,” President Jagdeo said.
Residents of the area were happy to hear of the President’s vision. Keith, a resident of the area, said that as a father, it would be pleasing for his children to know that they can live in a home of their own; while, Marlene Kennedy, a resident of ‘Ras Ville’, said her community is now regularised and has undergone major transformation because of the determination of the residents.
She urged the residents of the John Fernandes squatting area to follow the same lead.
President Jagdeo lauded their effort as one which other communities should emulate.
“If we all have this positive attitude, we can change the world. It’s really good what that community (Ras Ville) has done. When people see a community making the effort, they want to work in those communities,” President Jagdeo said.
He made it clear to them, however, that titles will never be granted on reserve lands as these are needed at the sides of canals for clearing purposes
Over 150 communities across the country have been regularised. President Jagdeo alluded to the Sophia area which now has electricity and other basic social services.
Reference was also made to the relocation of the Lamaha railway embankment squatters to healthier, safer locations, with assistance from the government in the form of house lots and small sums of money.
While many of them (Lamaha railway embankment squatters) can now boast of owning their own homes, President Jagdeo said he desires the same for squatters in the John Fernandes area, provided they are willing to take that as an option.
“We are going to discuss this further; this is not me coming here and just making a decision here and telling you to implement it, we have to do this jointly. The key thing here is improving people’s lives,” President Jagdeo said.
To date, over 70,000 house lots have been issued, and over 30,000 lots have been occupied as the demand for house lots keeps increasing.
Government recently purchased 2,000 acres of land from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). Another 10,000 lots will be developed in the vicinity of the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.
President Jagdeo said the location was selected because of the popularity it is gaining and the wealth of jobs that will be flowing to the area from the major investments taking place.(GINA)