MINISTER of State, Joseph Harmon, on Thursday handed over a cheque for $217,500 to the people of Aurora, on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two, making good on his promise to assist the village in development of its infrastructure, and making this the third donation of his salary increase for infrastructure development.Last November and December, he donated his salary increases for similar developmental activities to the residents of Angoy’s Avenue in Region Six and Crane Housing Scheme in Region Three.

Shortly after handing over the cheque, Minister Harmon, accompanied by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Citizenship Minister Winston Felix, listened keenly to various concerns ventilated by the Aurora residents, who had converged by the main public road for a meeting with the officials.

Former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Member of Parliament Farouk Khan was among the first set of persons who seized the opportunity to share their concerns. Despite his political affiliation, Mr Khan, before stating his concerns, said: “I am for the development of my community, my region and my country, so I would work with any party to secure the future of this country.”

RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
Mr Khan was concerned about the lack of recreational facilities for the youths of Aurora village. He said that while there is no State land available in close proximity to the community, there are several parcels of private land available, one of which, if secured, can be transformed into a park.

As Secretary of the Aurora Co-op Society, Mr Khan expressed willingness to hand over a plot of land owned by the co-op for the development of a park. He suggested that when construction has been completed, it should be named “Aurora Cooperative Park”.

PENSIONERS
Another issue of concern to Mr Khan was the inability of pensioners to access their pensions in a timely manner. He explained that because of the shortage of cash, pensioners are often forced to visit the Aurora Post Office for two or three days before they are able to access their benefits. “I am worried (that) the people got to travel… they are old and feeble, and they can’t walk. Why can’t (the authorities) send much more cash? You send the cash and within an hour it finish, people got to go home back. We must have some sympathy and send some more cash,” he appealed.

The need for additional street lights along the Essequibo Coast, and the poor quality of water supplied to residents were among his other concerns. “Only from Queenstown to Walton Hall has treated water. The two end of the coast, they have iron content in the water. We are asking for a better quality of water; not perfect, but a better quality of water,” he appealed.

JOBS
Jeffrey Paul, another resident, complained about the lack of employment for young people along the Essequibo Coast. “When I look at what has been happening to our young people, there are many qualified young women and men within our community that are not getting jobs. If you take a look at the public hospitals, the court, the Ministries and all of the different places, I have not been seeing no change,” he said.

Mr Paul added: “I am not against anyone, but I still want to see a balanced ratio where our people can be employed. I need the Government to address this situation.”

Mr Paul also informed the ministers that a revetment behind his house is in dire need of rehabilitation. “It is breaking away because it deteriorating every day,” Mr Paul said, noting that he had lodged several complaints to the Minister of Works in the former administration, Robeson Benn, but to no avail.

The inability to access leased land for farming, and poor roads and irrigation were among other issues raised by residents of Aurora.

In response, the Minister of State committed to addressing the concerns of the residents. “Roads, drains, revetments, light and water, these are issues that affect all of us, and these are issues that we are taking on board,” he told the residents.

Responding to the issue regarding the pensioners, Minister Harmon said it would be a thing of the past, as he asserted that senior citizens of this country ought to be accorded greater respect. “We have to deal with our senior citizens in a more respectful way… A lot of the policies which we embrace will cater to the elderly and a special group of people,” he promised.

He also addressed the need for recreational facilities within the community, saying that once land is made available by the co-op society, it would be developed by the Government for the benefit of the people.

Mr Harmon had addressed similar concerns earlier that day when he met with other residents of the Essequibo Coast at Perth Park, where a “Meet the Public Day” was held.

By Svetlana Marshall