RESIDENTS representing various neighbourhoods in the community of Amelia’s Ward, in Linden, have formed a steering committee called ‘Think Green’, and are on a mission to pool their energies, resources and ideas together to transform the constituency into a model one.

The brain child of the committee, who was also appointed as its chairman, is Constituency One Councillor Lawrence Simon who noted that with so much plans in store for the development of Amelia’s Ward, he realised he cannot do it on his own and the strategies highlighted in his manifesto, can only be realised through a joint venture.

The committee was then established, with eight representatives from the various neighbourhoods such as Bamia, South Amelia’s Ward, Central Amelia’s Ward, and Block 42 etc. The green agenda will be the overall objective of all projects and the maintaining of a clean and green environment will be prioritised. While each member will make representation for their neighbourhoods, they are also tasked with different agendas. Young Councillor Yanick Graham has been tasked with youth development, while Michael Hercules has been tasked with community development.

Graham, who is the youngest municipal councillor, said that he is currently pushing the momentum for a youth group to be established with membership from all over Amelia’s Ward. First on the agenda, will be to create a data base through house to house data collection, so as to ascertain the correct status of the youths in the community, whether they are employed, meaningfully engaged, pursuing education, in need of scholarship etc.

This data base will be used as they engage public-private stakeholders to provide them with jobs, training, funding of business initiatives etc. He said the executives of the youth group will also forge ties with the police and welfare department, to sift out youths who are repeated offenders so as to work closely with them, thus helping them to get their lives together. “We know unemployment is a soaring issue and so our main goal is to tap into programmes that will provide funding for training, internships, scholarship, youth programmes, ITC, STEM Robotics, etc so our youths can become meaningfully involved,” he said. The youths will also be involved in community development in keeping with the “think green” initiative.

Councillor Simon said that he is very upbeat about following the promises made in his manifesto and found it necessary to get residents involved. The steering committee will be resuscitating groups in Amelia’s Ward, whether it be, coops, youth groups or NGO’s, so that residents can all play a role in transforming their community.

While financial assistance directly from the council might be limited, due to its own financial constraints, Lawrence said the group will be tapping into opportunities of funding through grants from various ministries that were made available in the 2019 budget.

The steering committee aims at empowering youths and women in the community through economic ventures, and in this regard, a women’s group will soon be formed. “We will be making proposals for both long term and short term projects, the idea is to create employment whether it be through training or another venture, but we will be engaging single parents, youths and everyone,” he said.

In addition to applying for grants, the committee will be embarking on fundraising activities that will enable the group to be more economically viable. First on the agenda is a light drive, which will enable the group to purchase street lights for the streets that are currently unlit.

The community of Bamia which is located on the outskirts of Amelia’s Ward, on the Linden Soesdyke Highway is also integrally involved in the group. Lawrence said that the residents are currently working on a communal agriculture project, and he will be making the necessary representation for some form of concession to be granted to the residents, so that they can increase their production, which will also create employment.

Amelia’s Ward is the largest communities in Region 10, one of the largest in Guyana, and the Caribbean. It consists of smaller communities and housing schemes such as Brazina, South Amelia’s Ward, Central Amelia’s Ward, Self Help Housing Scheme, Lovers’ Lane, First, Second and Third Phases and the ‘New Schemes’.

The community has three nurseries, two primaries and one secondary school, a police outpost, a clinic several churches, a pool, a mall and a radio station.