MINISTER within the Ministry of Finance Mr. Juan Edghill, on Monday, met with residents of South Amelia’s Ward, Linden where he updated them on the progress of several contracts under the Health, Education and Sports sectors.

During the first meeting that was held at the South Amelia’s Ward Nursery School, Minister Edghill dispelled assertions by sections of society that Government has been neglecting Region Ten communities.
“We want to deal with this fabrication, this lie that is being peddled by some quarters that Linden is neglected by this government. I’m sure you would have heard that before, this mantra that is being sung and the sermon preached about Linden being neglected,” the minister declared.
Edghill then went into details of several developmental projects that are ongoing which will ultimately benefit and better the lives of residents in the region.
The minister first pointed out that the school where the meeting was held was constructed in 2006 under the current administration.
Highlighting other significant investments under the education sector, Edghill pointed to the works that are ongoing at the One Mile Primary School. Already 57 percent of works to that structure that was destroyed by fire during the Linden

unrest has been completed.
“We are spending $170 million for a school which was destroyed by fire. We are spending this money which could have gone to another investment; there are communities that don’t have school, does this show neglect or a government that is working and is interested in the development of the people of Region Ten?”
Works are ongoing at the Grady Primary School in Arima, Berbice River to the tune of $8.7M, and the works there are 80% completed, while the Pine Street Nursery is being extended at a cost of $4.2 M and that is 90% completed.
Further extension works are being carried out at the Amelia’s Ward Nursery school to the tune $6M and are 90% complete.
Out of the Linden area, works are ongoing at the teachers’ quarter at 58 Miles Mabura Road to the tune of $4.7M and with 40% of works already completed.
Cabinet had also given its approval for the construction of a sanitary block at Lichas Hall in Mac Kenzie to the tune $5.6, and works are ongoing at that facility.

HEALTH SECTOR PROJECTS

Extension works are ongoing at the Upper Demerara Hospital in Wismar, to the tune of $6.3M and that is 40% complete, while the construction of a Health Centre at Christiansburg, Wismar is also being undertaken to the tune of $14.8 M, with 48% of the work completed.
In addition, only recently Cabinet approved the sum of $30M for the construction of a nurses’ hostel in Kwakwani.

PUBLIC SECTOR PROJECTS

Thus far for the year, in excess of $29M has been spent in the Region Ten communities on drainage, road and other infrastructure projects.

Works on revetment and erosion control structures are being carried out at Hymara to the tune of $4.7M with 90% of works already completed.
In addition, construction of revetment and land filling at the Wismar Market riverside are also being carried out at a cost of $10.2M and construction of revetment and land filling at Bamia are also being carried out at a cost of $10.5M .
Further, in excess of $900M has been spent to ensure the Amelia’s ward community gets potable water as the government has invested in a water treatment plant in the community.
In the area of Sport, Edghill noted that significant amounts of money have been allocated for the rehabilitation of pavilions and other structures at playfields throughout central Linden.
The Silver Stars Sports Club has benefited from repair works to their fence, resurfacing of the basketball court area and grading of the football field, at a cost of $1M.
The Retrieve Raiders Basketball club also benefited from repairs to their fence, installing of lights and the refurbishing of sanitary block, at a cost of $1M, while Blue Berry Hill CDC ground was upgraded and a goal post for a football facility installed at a cost of $1M.
Several other clubs including the Linden Fund Trust, the Retrieve Sport complex, the Amelia’s Ward Youth and Sports Club, Wisrock Youth Group and the Silver City Vasco Football club among others all benefited from government’s interventions. (GINA)