THE community of Leonora on the West Coast of  Demerara in  Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) has undergone a complete modernisation and transformation, through the implementation of several Government of Guyana projects. Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali made the observation last Friday as he sought to highlight the improvements there, to date, during the period 2006 to 2011, specifically in the areas of education, sports, health care, housing and infrastructure improvements including roads.
Alluding to the Administration’s drive to promote infrastructural and social development in that as well as in other places, he said, since returning to office in 1992, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has formulated a national development programme which includes rebuilding democratic institutions, diversifying the economic base, rehabilitating and further developing the physical infrastructure, pursuing stable macro-economic policies and fighting poverty.
Minister Ali noted that, with the PPP/C’s continued investment in education over the years, the system in the country has been effectively strengthened and developed, particularly through the construction of the $428M technical institute at Groenveldt.
That institution is expected to improve the educational standard and foster better skills training and development for over 200 students in masonry, carpentry, joinery, agricultural mechanics, plumbing, welding, secretarial science  and electrical installation, he added.
“Before 1992, the education system had crumbled, morale was low, students were underperforming and the sector was neglected. The PPP/C’s first task was to increase investment and remove neglect. Today, more than $25 billion of the total Government expenditure has been allocated to the education sector,” Ali explained.
In addition to this, he said there has been another mammoth investment in the sector, with the construction of a new secondary school at Leonora at an approximate cost of $294M, which will see some 400 students benefiting from another 2011 Government initiative.
According to him, the PPP/C, in its continued and aggressive pursuit of delivering quality health care, has successfully implemented various sectors strategy plans to enhance it for all Guyanese.
VISIONARY APPROACH
“As a result of our strategic and visionary approach to health care, the Leonora Cottage Hospital was significantly upgraded to the Leonora Diagnostic Centre in 2008 at an approximate cost of $111M,” he recalled.
Consequently, scores of persons converge on a daily basis to access the free medical care offered in several areas, including dentistry, eye care, HIV counselling and testing, accident and emergency, cervical cancer, general medicine, x-ray, laboratory and pharmacy services and endoscopy (visual inspection of stomach contents).
Outlining the significance of these upgrades, Ali stated: “Health is a fundamental social right and a priority pillar on which national development is built.”
He said the establishment of the Community Roads Improvement Project (CRIP) will ensure the aggressive construction of 12 roads in the communities of Leonora and Stewartville, at an approximate cost of $117M.
Minister Ali said those works will include, but will not be limited to the rehabilitation of 4.04 kilometres of double bituminous surface treatment (DBST) or asphaltic concrete roads, cleaning, reshaping and regrading and/or realigning of existing roadside drains and the construction of new drains, the rehabilitation of two bridges and the provision of safety features, such as signage, markings and speed humps on them.
The CRIP will directly benefit an estimated 32,000 people living in the targeted Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), as well as provide many indirect, broad benefits to others around the region.
Ali said the Government of Guyana recognises that there needs to be equitable development and, as such, seeks to ensure that existing communities are enhanced and developed in a massive way.
“You can have the best health centre but, if you do not have proper road access, then it does not allow you to realise the full potential of that asset, so these roads are very important for a number of reasons,” he acknowledged.
Ali said the PPP/C has provided significant support for youths and continues to impress their minds with positive and progressive initiatives.
Provision has been made in 2011 for the construction of an athletic track at Leonora, costing approximately $125M and that facility is expected to, undoubtedly, enhance the performance of Guyanese athletes who continually strive to put the country on the world map, he said.
COST EFFECTIVE
Ali, pointing out that it was always in the Administration’s vision to ensure that every Guyanese family has access to their own home, from 1992 to date, has continued its quest of making housing accessible and cost effective.
It has pursued, as well, its drive to alleviate poverty and improve the quality of life of low/moderate income earners to be able to have access to adequate and affordable shelter.
As testimony to this, the Ministry of Housing and Water has invested $90M, in 2011, for the preparation of 260 of these shelters and this is evident at Leonora, Ali said.
Additionally, he said Leonora will also be the beneficiary of a newly constructed Magistrate’s Court, which was completed at a cost of about $18M and that investment would continue to propel the developmental services of the judicial system countrywide.
Expressing his gratitude to the residents of the community for embracing and supporting the projects and initiatives, Ali said: “I wish to say thank you for the support you continue to give to this PPP/C Government and we look forward to your continued support in the future as we seek to build a stronger and sustainable community.”