SEVERAL persons on Wednesday flocked the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI) at its Wight’s Lane, Kingston office, to meet with Ministers David Patterson and Annette Ferguson during the Ministry’s Public Day.

Many came in groups to represent their community.
Issues ranged from a call for electricity installation to the improvement of roads and all- round community infrastructure development. Persons travelled from as far as the Rupununi and Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

Both Patterson and Ferguson saw in excess of 20 persons each. Ferguson noted that aside from those persons with issues involving infrastructure, she also saw persons with housing matters, and persons seeking employment.

Meeting with Minister Patterson were four persons from the Waikabra United Group (WUG) who came out to further their appeal for electricity to be installed in the small community; another four-person group from the Free and Easy village on the West Bank Demerara came out to renew their call for the road in their village to be upgraded.

Speaking for the WUG, Burston Peters, explained that the community has been pleading for some eight years now to see a stable electricity supply brought to the community, with the lack thereof severely affecting the residents.

Peters was accompanied by Jennifer Samaroo, Mandisa Williams and Mangru Singh.

While some residents have generators and solar panels, they noted that this is not enough as the solar panels are not enough and the gasoline for the generators is expensive.

Peters said the issue is all the more frustrating because the community is in proximity to power lines while communities farther away have already been furnished with electricity from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).
“The problem is we are just 200 feet from the power line and they have been running electricity in an area like Swann, which you have to carry the powerline two miles into the village and we are 200 feet away from the powerline on the highway and we can’t get current. Eight year’s now we’re trying. GPL did a plan since 2016 and on to now we can’t get electricity; we want to find out now what’s the reason,” Peters explained.
The group explained that some years back the residents were introduced to a gentleman who said he could assist them in obtaining the electricity. The group does not remember the man’s name but believes that they have been defrauded as they handed over some $200,000 to the man, but still remain without electricity.

Peters noted that the group has since written President David Granger, as well as senior officials at GPL.

From Free and Easy were Beverley Sutton and her husband, Linden Sutton, along with their neighbours, Isaac Sarju and Claxton Thomas.
Though the community in recent years has seen much improvements, having received water, electricity and an Information Communication Technology (ICT) Hub, seeing the road upgraded is something the residents believe would go a long way in improving their way of life.
Beverley says she has been living in the community for some 12 years now and even before that time residents have been yearning to see a paved road running through the community. Linden Sutton had met with the minister mid last year and was there to get an update.

“We saw the minister [last year] and he said he would look into the issue. He looked into the issue and sent some guys. They come in and see the road and they said they would give us a follow-up back. So we here for the follow-up,” Linden Sutton said.

Sixty-four-year-old Charles DeFreitas travelled all the way from North Rupununi to highlight the plight faced by residents of Yakarinta, where he said occupants are grateful for the major road works done in the area over the past few years but there still remains so much more that needs to be done.

“We are basically asking that the village road be done because there are lots of elderly people there that have to come out, to go for pension and whats-not. It’s kind of painful to see these folks operating under really difficult conditions; when the rainy season comes it gets really bad. It’s something that needs to be addressed,” DeFreitas said.

“There are many improvements that have happened. For example, the road from Kurupakari to Lethem, I can tell you, that road is a wonderful change.”

DeFreitas also commended the initiative of the minister meeting directly with citizens.

“This is a very interesting and excellent thing because you can have direct contact with the minister. You’re meeting the minister one-on-one and he’s able to focus on what you’re saying and you on him. It shouldn’t be underestimated because people who really care about what concerns them in public infrastructure have an opportunity to interface directly with the minister,” DeFreitas said.

A group comprising Gregory Mentore, David Dazzle and Clarence Johnson came to rally for upgrades and improvements in the community of Paradise on the East Coast of Demerara