RESIDENTS of Susannah’s Rust, Demerara River, were at the weekend updated on the recently passed 2013 national budget and future plans of the government by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Jennifer Webster, during an interactive session at the Susannah Rust Primary/Nursery School.

Minister Webster told the community of the budget cuts which will significantly affect all of the people in Guyana. One of the areas that the minister emphasised was the cut from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).
The GPL subsidy that was allocated in the budget by the Minister of Finance was voted against by the combined Opposition (APNU/AFC), allowing GPL no other option but to increase electricity tariffs. Government has sought to assist GPL with additional funding because of the increased operational costs, she explained.
“It’s our government’s vision to ensure that in another three years all our communities throughout our country will have an electricity supply and we’re working towards that”, Minister Webster added.
One of the major developments pointed out at this meeting by the minister is the Amaila Falls Power Project. She emphasised that work has already started with the road infrastructure to be followed by work on the actual hydro-power plant.
Minister Webster said that there are many plans and programmes that the government has put on stream for the people in the various sectoral areas.
“Government wants to educate the population using ICT, because we live in a globalised world with many changes and we have to keep abreast of the changes that are ongoing”, she said. The Information Technology and Communication (ICT) programme started by the government has seen persons countrywide benefiting from it. Children have been benefiting from the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme, allowing them to have access to the internet, allowing research, opening the doors of communication.
Distribution of the laptops had ceased for a while, but it is ongoing currently, allowing more residents to be beneficiaries of the OLPF. Government has also been working countrywide to have fibre-optic cables completely installed so that there will be easy access to the internet by Guyanese.
Residents in the community said that they have applied for the laptops, but distribution has not yet commenced in the area.
“It’s our government’s policy to provide and look into the needs of our people and work for the improvement of the quality of the life of our people”, said Minister Webster.
Residents of the village have been complaining about the cost of transportation for their families. They urged that a road be built from the village to the highway, so that they do not have to travel by boat. Minister Webster, highlighting that since the village is a farming and logging community, and the use of river is the main means of transportation, the government will look into ways to help with transportation so that they will have more access to markets.