MINISTER of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, recently visited several communities in East Berbice/Corentyne (Region Six) and interacted with residents and contractors in those areas to ensure that the community members are involved during the construction process for rehabilitation works, following the award of $130 million in contracts for work to be done in several communities. High Dam residents in Caracas, West Canje gladly welcomed the Minister and expressed relief that the road in that area would finally be paved. Several also took the opportunity to air other concerns, including the need for a recreational centre for children, the installation of street lights, and the alleviation of flooding that occurs in the area, the Ministry of the Presidency has stated.
Minister Harmon pledged to address matters of flooding as a priority, as it affects residents’ livelihoods. He pledged that, at a later date, efforts would be made to look into the installation of street lights — which he noted is a larger project and is not just for a specific community — and paving other access roads in the area.
The Minister said that once the weather clears, paving of the High Dam Road, a 453-metre stretch into the community, should take just a month to be completed, according to the contractor. He also noted that the entire project should be completed in two months.
Minister Harmon then paid a visit to the Middle Walk Dams of both Lancaster and Liverpool villages on the Corentyne, to assess the work to be done. At those locations, some residents were primarily concerned with obtaining some form of employment from the work that would soon begin on the roads. Minister Harmon agreed that residents should have this benefit, and he said that was part of the reason for his visit.
“It is important that the community is involved in what is happening here. And you should also ensure that people from the community are employed. I want to make sure that whatever work is done there is reflective of community involvement. These contracts were aimed to give a bit [of a] jumpstart to the communities, so I hope the contractors will pay attention to that,” the Minister said.
He added that people must feel the energy and understand that their government is working for them, and that the contractors must provide good work for the communities. Minister Harmon also said that there must be a change in the perception that contractors are all about putting money in their pockets.
Chairman of the Lancaster/Hogstye Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Mr. Forbes Moore, said the planned works are a great help to the community. He noted, however, that there were some other needs communicated to him, including the establishment of a farmers’ market, better drainage and irrigation, and better garbage collection.
“We want this community to look like cleaner parts of Berbice, and we are working assiduously to do that,” he said.
Ms. Rajkumarie Nandan, a resident of Lancaster Middle Walk Dam, said that with the new road, children would have an easier time getting transportation to school.
“Right now it is very hard for buses to come in, and it is very hard in the morning for children to get out. We either have to take children out to the road and clean their shoes, or put it on at the head of the road,” she said.
