…President urges residents to elect new leaders for Anna Regina

WITH Local Government Elections (LGE) just weeks away, President David Granger on Monday urged residents of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) to elect visionary leaders, who can best effect changes in their communities.

The leader of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU, the President visited the region’s capital for a community meeting held at the Anna Regina car park. He was accompanied by Junior Minister of Public Infrastructure and Campaign Manager for LGE in Region Two, Annette Ferguson and Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally.

Present too were regional executives; prospective candidates of LGE 2018 and scores of students, parents and residents of the region. In his address to the gathering, after establishing that the township of Anna Regina dates back to some 48 years, the President questioned, rhetorically, whether the progress they observe today represents over 40 years of development.

He stated that the region, which alone is bigger than Trinidad and Tobago, has the potential to be wealthy but continues to be robbed of such as a result of poor leadership. In listing some of the region’s advantages, he highlighted that it is responsible for 16 per cent of the country’s rice production; 14 per cent of fish and shrimp and 48 per cent of the coconut production.

“So many of you might say ‘well why Trinidad and Tobago rich and Region Two is poor?’” the President stated, adding: “It is poor because of poor leadership and next month on the 12th of November we’re going to change that. We’re going to give Anna Regina better leadership.”

Never again, he firmly added, will Guyana under APNU’s leadership return to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)-introduced Interim Management Committees (IMC), which prevented citizens an input into the development of their own communities. “IMCs are unwanted, undemocratic and unsuccessful and let me promise you this Essequibo! there will be no IMCs under the APNU. This town is going to be governed by people you elect, not by people the Minister of Local Government or the Minister of Communities selects,” he stated.

The President further urged the residents to take the LGEs seriously, even as he reminded, that the APNU administration has its focus on serving not a portion of the people but the entire country. “Local Government Elections is not about victim and victor, or winning and losing, it’s about giving the people the opportunity to run their own affairs; giving people the opportunity to sit around the table and decide what’s best for the markets, what’s best for the streets, lights, security,” he said.

He then added: “When we had Local Government Elections in March 2016, we wanted to win, but most of all we wanted to embolden the people, give them that confidence to go into the municipalities; to go into the neighbourhoods and make decisions for themselves.”
Even with the absence of the Regional Chairman at the meeting, the President advised the public not to pattern themselves after this example, as cooperation among all three levels of government are needed if the country is to move forward.

He cautioned them residents further, to elect a visionary town council; a mayor with a vision and a team which will assist community members in sharing their expertise with neighbouring regions, like the hinterland. As the government continues to work to improve subventions to support works in the region, the President urged residents to exercise their rights come November and to vote wisely for the best candidates.

“Next month, five weeks from now, you have the opportunity to correct the damage that has been done by the PPP. You have an opportunity. Don’t drop the ball, don’t lose the opportunity because you’re going to return to stagnation, you’re going to return to underdevelopment…you have to go out there and vote for persons who you know are going to serve your communities,” he said.

Remarks came too from Minister Ferguson, who similarly urged the community members to elect the right persons to get the job done.
“Before March 2016, many communities were neglected and experienced challenges due to bad roads, poor public health systems, poor drainage, unkempt parapets, debilitative infrastructure to name a few.

“Today, as we examine the environment we all coexist, there is a breath of fresh air you can associate with change. You will agree with me that there is much to be done. However, this can only be so if we elect the right people within the various constituencies to get the job done, and to seek an improved community,” she said.

She stated further, that the opportunity for real change to be realised in communities in the region rests on November 12, 2018 when every eligible person must make their vote count. Ferguson then reminded the gathering of some of the many projects supported by central government though her ministry which are either ongoing or already completed.
These include maintenance to ferry vessels and sea defenses; the rehabilitation of roads; installation of street lights among others.

“I urge you to rally, mobilise and organise your communities and constituencies, and let us claim them from those who are not performing in the interest of community development,” she said, adding:
“Once you vote solidly for A Partnership for National Unity and those persons in your constituency, rest assured that they will ensure that your community is taken care of. Therefore, I urge of you to be vocal and vote local for A Partnership for National Unity.”
Also at the event, 20 students from the township received brand new bicycles as part of the President’s 5Bs initiative. In receiving the gifts, Ferguson encouraged the children to care the bicycles, while she cautioned parents to ensure that they facilitate the regular attendance of their children to school.

It was in Region Two that the idea of the 5Bs initiative was birthed when the President, then Opposition leader, came into contact with a 12-year-old girl who could not read because her mother could not afford to send her to school. He made himself a promise that when he became president he would address the issue and just weeks after taking office in 2015, he launched the new initiative. To date, the Buses, Boats, Bicycles, Books and Breakfast initiative sees over 28 buses freely transporting school children; over 1200 bicycles distributed and hot meals provided to children countrywide, along with the others aspects.