Dear Editor
I AM a resident of Zeelugt, EBE and wish to register this missive publicly in your daily newspaper.
The coalition government had an outreach at Zeelugt scheme in Region Three roughly three weeks back where Minister Amna Ally M.P., addressed over 100 residents. As outlined at the start of the meeting, the intention of the outreach was to communicate with residents to understand the current issues facing residents and to address the said issues. After Minister Ally’s address to the residents, which was a totally non-political address, the residents were afforded the opportunity to speak directly to the minister. It is fitting to mention at this point that one resident claimed that since the establishment of the Zeelugt scheme, no senior member of the former government had ever visited them and considering that, the minister’s visit was a welcome one. Several other residents expressed heartfelt gratitude to the current government for the provision of electricity and water — two basic needs — to their community (Zeelugt Sugar Welfare Scheme) and lamented in details the hassle and harassment they received from the former administration for those very basic needs. They even claimed that they had to stand for hours in the hot sun and didn’t get the opportunity to even speak to the then first lady. Other residents spoke about the need for proper drainage in the area and the grading of their roads.
Additionally, residents of Phase Three Zeelugt requested electricity and proper water services. The entire group clapped loudly when a resident suggested that persons who were given houselots in the area and failed to occupy said lands should be taken away and be given to people who are ready to occupy and build. There was also the call for a police outpost in the area and the development of a recreational facility, so that young people can divert their energies to more meaningful activities. All the concerns raised were addressed to the satisfaction of the residents. Given the limited budget our country operates on, it was clearly understood by all that the demands cannot be met immediately, but the drains are currently being dug and cleared of overgrown vegetation. We were further informed that the grader is scheduled to grade the roads within the next two weeks. We were told that slowly and surely our demands will be met.
Editor, I say all the above primarily to compare the government’s meeting with the opposition’s meeting that was held a few days ago in the said area.
First, several attendees at the opposition’s meeting were not from Zeelugt and it was smaller than the one held by government. The speakers of the opposition spoke about their return to power in 2020 and even threatened to dismiss from their jobs, the persons who assisted in organising the government’s meeting. A major concern that was raised is the current ongoing battle as to the ownership of the playground located on the northern side of the village. The PPP is so accustomed to unlawful behaviour that one of the speakers instructed the chairperson of the NDC to appoint a management committee. At this point I must mention, it is my opinion that the ground belongs to the school and not the sports club. Further, the NDC has a responsibility to ensure that the ground is properly kept for the benefit of first the school and secondly the community. Any management committee must be an elected body from the community. That is democracy. This issue was raised by concerned residents to the REO of Region Three and they were given the assurance of democracy over dictatorship. Democracy will live on and dictatorship will die out.
Editor, even though I was cursed at by some of the attendees of the PPP meeting I shall not be moved. I will continue to attend all public meetings for the word public alone speaks for itself. It is my firm conclusion that the PPP came to our community only because Minister Amna Ally came a few weeks back, so permit me the opportunity to publicly tell the PPP, “this time nah long time.” It is a fallacy to believe that citizens like me will ever vote again for the PPP and further rest assured that Guyanese are now educating themselves and therefore race politics is a thing of the past.
Regards
Parbattie Sookram – Resident of Zeelugt