REGION 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) Chairman Mr. Julius Faerber has said it is the responsibility of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) to ensure that roads are in a proper manner. In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, he said he had received numerous complaints about the state of the roads from residents in areas on the West Coast of Demerara. He pointed out that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) would usually just look after one or two roads in an area, in an effort to assist the NDCs.
Faerber said the RDC looks at the roads in areas on a wider basis, noting that it assists mainly in worst-case scenarios where a road is of earthen materials alone, and as such they are deemed very important and will be worked on first for improvements.

He reiterated that those roads which were constructed and then damaged by the everyday wear and tear are the concern of the NDC, and it is for those NDCs to look at those roads and send reports to the RDC.    

On the issue of illegal roadside vending, Faerber admitted that there is indeed an unmanageable situation in which vendors sell illegally on road corners. He said the RDC is working with the NDCs and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development to take stringent actions to have those persons removed.

Faerber added that areas most plagued by illegal roadside vending are Vreed-en-Hoop, Parika and Patentia.

Meanwhile, he encouraged persons who have complaints regarding the functioning of their communities to raise those issues with their NDCs, or to take them to the level of the RDC.

He said all of this is done by the Government of Guyana, in keeping with its mandate to improve and make the lives of Guyanese better, and the Government would try to do as much as possible for the further benefit of its citizens.