-Paramakatoi, Kurukubaru residents to benefit from $10M water project
THE Administration remains committed to ensuring that its human resources derive optimum benefits from its development programmes and constant efforts are being made to upgrade the level of basic services so as to enhance the quality of life for citizens.
The indigenous population in particular, has secured a special place in Government’s developmental agenda. This is evident, given the vast improvement that hinterland communities have been experiencing, especially in the areas of health and education.
However, Government is cognisant of the fact that a lot more needs to be done. Against this backdrop, Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali; PPP/C’s General Secretary, Donald Ramotar; Permanent Secretary of the Housing Ministry, Emile McGarrel; Chief Executive Officer, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Yuri Chandisingh and other technical officers, visited Paramakatoi and Kurukabaru, Region Eight, to meet with residents and discuss issues affecting them.
The concerns that were aired by the residents of both areas were of a similar nature. These include the need for the low income housing programme to be introduced in the hinterland, more benefits for native teachers, computers for the secondary level, need for more efficient health services, unavailability of internet service, transportation, potable water supply, electricity, need for a nursery school and more teachers and furniture (at Kurukabaru) and unfair treatment by staff of the Amerindian Hostel in Georgetown.
In responding to the residents, Minister Ali said every community – regardless of race, religion, or geographic location, has a responsibility to contribute towards the development of the country.
He reinforced Government’s commitment to the transformation of the country and development of Guyanese.
Referring to outstanding CSEC results that the Paramakatoi Secondary School has achieved this year, with two students – Dave Simon and Dox John, gaining passes in Grades one, two and three, the Minister said every village has the ability to excel and that Government stands ready to nurture that ability.
The ruling party will be awarding each of the top students $20,000 and an additional donation will be made towards the school.
Government is working hard to create universal secondary education. However, there are some challenges to overcome in expanding this aspect to the interior regions.
With reference to the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), he reminded that the major beneficiaries are people of the hinterland and that one of the major projects that will be advanced is the continuation of the land demarcation exercise.
A significant sum has been spent by Government on land demarcation thus far.
“Through Government’s policies, the hinterland is well on its way in catching up with life on the coast,” Minister Ali said.
He added that there are a lot of challenges but Government is working to find possible solutions because it believes in “governance for the people, by the people.”
The school feeding and uniform assistance programme, scholarships, and presidential grants are just a few examples of Government’s commitment to enhancing the lives of its indigenous people.
Minister Ali posited that with the advent of the fiber optic cable system, every community in Guyana, regardless of geographic location, will have access to the internet. He added too, that Government is moving to ensure that residents in hinterland communities have access to solar panels so that they will be able to have basic electricity.
To address the issue of potable water supply, the Minister unveiled a $10M project that includes the construction of a reservoir and the installation of three kilometer (km) of pipe network in Paramakatoi and rehabilitation of an existing spring box complete with a photovoltaic pumping system, installation of 1.2 km of distribution network and 10 stand pipes.
The systems are designed to operate by storing water in elevated storage facilities than making use of a gravity flow to the communities.
With regards to housing, Government is spending $200M towards this aspect in hinterland communities.
The ruling party’s General Secretary, in addressing the residents, said Government officials constantly visit hinterland locations in an effort to appreciate the difficulties that are being faced and offer solutions to make their lives easier.
He said since 1992 to present, the structure of the budget is proof of the importance Government places on its people. The largest sums are dedicated towards education, health and security.
“We believe that we have to develop the quality of people if we are going to come out of poverty,” Ramotar said.
He added that because of the innovativeness of the Government, it is recognised by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) as being ahead of schedule to meeting food security before 2015.
GWI’s CEO, spoke briefly on safety tips in handling potable water to avoid contamination. He urged teachers to spread the message of safe water and the importance of conservation among their students.
In concluding, Minister Ali said all the issues that were raised will be discussed at the level of Cabinet and they will also be relayed to the respective sectors so that the necessary interventions can be made.  (GINA)