MINISTER within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing, Valerie Adams-Patterson has stressed that Guyana will only advance when differences are set aside and all serve without discrimination.She expressed these views on Thursday during a meeting with regional chairpersons in Committee Room 2, Public Buildings, Brickdam, Georgetown.

“I think this nation is at a point where we need to move forward and therefore we have to put our political differences aside and consider the people who have elected us to serve them; we serve without discrimination,” the minister said.

She added: “We cannot discriminate depending on where we are located against our people, the people expect us to deliver.”

Reflecting on the performances of the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) in 2016, Minister Adams-Patterson said more could have been done, and hopefully, these shortcomings would be addressed with the early presentation of budget 2017.

“It’s not all about how much money we receive from the Government coffers, but it’s how we spend it and if we spend it, we expect as a Government that whatever monies are appropriated to the regions by the end of 2017 will benefit the people,” the minister told the officials.

She also emphasised the need for collaboration in the new year, underscoring that the interest of the people should be placed on the front burner.

“Our young people are on social media following everything we do and they are cognisant of what we have not done and they are putting pressure on us, so let’s include them in the process and let’s work together,” Minister Adams-Patterson urged.

The Government, she noted has a mandate to serve the people, and is dependent on the RDCs to deliver.

“I want to encourage you that yes, we are aware that our councils are made up of several political parties, but the bigger picture here is the people whom we serve and if we are to effectively and efficiently serve the people, it means that there must be working together of all the political parties in their particular council.”

Any disjointed affairs between officials will be counterproductive to the regions and the country as a whole, the minister warned.