THREE Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) on the East Coast Demerara that are controlled by the main opposition party has withheld their assistance from the Education Ministry to weed school yards within their jurisdiction and Education Minster, Ms. Priya Manickchand has expressed her frustration at the NDCs drastic pull out.

The minister divulged that three A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) controlled NDCs were approached for assistance to clean school compounds within their jurisdiction for the new school term but the NDCs refused. The three NDCs were Grove/ Haslington, Triumph/ Beterverwagting and Foulis/ Buxton.
“We had about 26 schools that had not been prepared at all for reopening as far as weeding and cleaning of the yard is concerned. This is usually a responsibility of the regional administration and I am told by the Regional Education Officer that traditionally this has been done by the NDCs with minimal help from the Region,” the Minster related, adding that there are seven NDCs, three of which are controlled by APNU. She stated that she found it strangely coincidental that the three NDCs had pulled out at last minute without any feasible explanation.
“All the NDCs have traditionally weeded and otherwise cleaned in and around the school compounds in their NDC. I am told by the officers that this year all NDCs had agreed to do the weeding but that at the very last minute when enquiries were made as to why nothing was happening in the schools of these three NDCs, the regional administration was told that these three NDCs for whatever reason, they were not going to be weeding the school compounds this year,” she stated.
“I find it extremely suspicious that these three NDCs alone have come up with this excuse about why they can’t clean these schools. What I find reprehensible though is that the NDC’s, their chairmen and councillors were quite happy to have made this decision and then sit down on their conscience and not communicate this to the Region and/or the Ministry in a timely manner,” Ms. Manickchand said
She pointed out that if the Regional Executive Officer was not ‘proactive’ and had he been checking schools on a regular basis then the schools would not have been ready for the new school term.
“And no doubt the parents and the students would have been justifiably angry,” she argued, questioning the agenda of the NDCs. “Could it be that the NDCs and their political bosses were hoping that this anger would be turned against the government. Would they exploit Guyana’s children like this? This bothers me terribly.”
However, Ms. Manickchand declared that she was elated that the Ministry had intervened and had gotten the schools weeded. “All still might not be perfect given the fact that we were only able to start this on Friday when we learnt of it but the schools will be opened and the children, by God’s grace, safe,” she said, expounding that she was grateful to  the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO)  for their service and quick response to ensure that the schools were cleaned and ready for the new school term.
In addition, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud expressed disappointment that the NDCs refused to render assistance. Nevertheless, he stated that the responsibility does lie in the hands of the Education Ministry, adding that he was made aware that resources were not available and therefore the NDCs were approached. The minster labelled the NDCs action as ‘insensitive,’ and ‘irresponsible,’ stating that the assistance was for the benefit of children.
Meanwhile, when this newspaper contacted the Triumph/ Beterverwagting NDC, The chairman affirmed that his NDC was indeed approached but was unable to cooperate because “there wasn’t provision in our estimates for that. It’s not that I’m being uncooperative. It’s just that I don’t have the provision.”
When the Chairman of the Foulis/ Buxton NDC, Randolph Blair was contacted he laughed and then stated that the Ministry of Education should be better informed. “It is the responsibly of the Ministry of Education to ensure that the schools are clean and weeded, not the NDCs.”