Fulfilment of PPP/C promises includes Parfait Harmonie well
AT LEAST 15,000 people will benefit from the $57M well he commissioned at Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali said at the Wednesday ceremony.
The new facility, funded by the Government of Guyana for Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), will also supply residents of Canal Number One, Westminster and La Grange. In his speech, Minister Ali  said it will contribute to a significantly improved service provided to the targeted communities.
“This will add to the total transformation in the region and is also testimony to the strong will of the Guyanese people, led by a Government committed to seeing the improvement in the lives of all,” he added.
Ali encouraged the beneficiaries present at the commissioning to take care of the source and use the water with conservation in mind, noting that the event is the fulfilment of a promise by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration.
He said the location is also the proposed site for the installation of a treatment plant, a crucial addition in communities as large as Parfait Harmonie.
“We have provided this facility to cater for the future development of this area,” Ali said.
Alluding to the provision of services in the water sector over the last few years, he said: “In 2006, when this Government was elected, 20 per cent of the population had access to treated water. Today 45 per cent now have that access and it is our strategic goal to take that to 75 per cent by the year 2015. We are convinced that we can accomplish this target.”
According to him, the Parfait Harmonie well station means a cost of $15,600 to every one of the 15, 000 residents.
“If you translate it to the family, the  Government has spent, on your behalf,  $60,600. That is what the $57 million is translated to mean to each person in the community,” he explained.

TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT
Ali said the Belle Vue well, which will add to interconnectivity on the West Bank Demerara, will be put into operation shortly and, with the completion of the La Grange well, this year, too, the area will see tremendous improvement in the quality and quantity of the water supplied.
He noted that wells have already been commissioned at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo and Hague, West Coast Demerara and, very shortly, the Vergenoegen Water Treatment Plant, also in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), will become operational.
“These were all commitments made by the Government and we are happy to report that we have kept those commitments,” Ali declared.
He observed that Parfait Harmonie Housing Scheme has undergone tremendous transformation over the last three years, made possible through direct investments by the Government of Guyana.
Ali said, over the past four months alone, the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) has received some 1,000 new housing plans, added to which construction has started on 350 new homes.
“That is remarkable and this refers to only one housing development in the country.This speaks to the investment climate and the incentive given by Government to encourage home ownership,” he remarked.
Ali said such achievements are unmatched anywhere else in the Caribbean and another important aspect, which will also foster development, is the completion of the electricity network in the Onderneeming section of the scheme.
He assured the residents that the financial resources for that project have already been transferred to Guyana Power & Light (GPL), which has promised to commence work very shortly.
Ali explained that the earlier start was delayed due to a shortage of materials.
He announced, as well, that the contract for the new Parfait Harmonie Bridge has been signed and the contractor is mobilising to begin work.

ALTERNATIVE ACCESS
Meanwhile, $380M has been earmarked for the development of the new alternative access to the scheme from the West Bank public road, Ali disclosed.
The design has been completed and will go to tender shortly for the construction close to the Demerara Harbour Bridge, he informed.
The minister said the additional facilities will not only improve the living conditions of the residents in the contiguous communities, but will also raise the equity value of the land and houses.
In his remarks, Regional Chairman, Mr. Julius Faerber acknowledged there has been continued development in the housing scheme, through the Government, once again, investing a substantial amount of money.
“The Government has made this possible to benefit some 15,000 residents who will be occupying the community. In addition, they have also built a new school, a health centre and now the new well,” he said.
Faerber implored the residents to remember when water was scarce and to do their part in caring the well and conserving what is provided.
Expressing his gratitude for the further investment in the region, he said he would ensure that residents make good use of it.
GWI Executive Director, Capital Investment and Planning, Mr. Ramchand Jailal pointed out that the Government has been contributing significantly to the drilling of wells across Guyana and 60 of these have been drilled over the past five years.