COGNISANT that the conditions under which they live are less than desirable and pose a threat to their health and safety, residents of the East La Penitence housing compound joined forces with Minister Simona Broomes and staged a major clean-up exercise on Saturday.

The compound, which houses 15 families with approximately 70 persons, was littered with garbage. The rundown and dilapidated buildings posed a safety threat and on Saturday, the residents took control of their environment with support from Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes. Some of the dilapidated buildings were dismantled, and overgrown trees trimmed and in some cases cut down. The garbage was raked up and burnt along with other debris.

Joel Lloyd, who has been living in the compound for more than 21 years, admitted that they have been living in less than habitable conditions for more than two decades, but said the clean-up exercise would allow residents, particularly the children, to dwell in a clean environment until better can be done.

“This is not a one-off thing. We formed a committee and we will be cleaning the compound regularly, so persons can live comfortably,” Lloyd told this newspaper. The 34-year-old said that they will be pooling their resources to reconstruct the fence to prevent persons from traversing the compound.

Dwayne Brown, another resident who is responsible for maintaining the exercise, said he is thankful for the support given by Minister Broomes. Brown pledged to maintain a clean and healthy compound. “Going forward, we will try to give everyone an opportunity to live a better life in a clean environment,” he told this newspaper. Delon Cox, who has been living in the area since 1993, said he was pleased with the turnout. Euclid Hackett, chairman of the newly formed committee, told the Guyana Chronicle that he was pleased that the residents came together to clean up their environment.

“This is the first clean-up in a long time. Normally, people does come and do their own cleaning, mostly in front of their own house, but this is a general cleaning,” he explained; he noted that they simply want to give the compound a cleaner and brighter look. He expressed gratitude to Minister Broomes and the government for the support given thus far.

The clean-up exercise took place one day after Minister Broomes and Minister with responsibility for Housing, Valerie Adams-Yearwood, held a meeting with them and committed to helping them acquire better housing.

DEEPLY INVOLVED

On Saturday, Minister Broomes was seen ‘foot-to-foot’ with the residents during the clean-up exercise. The minister told this newspaper that she sprang into action after visiting the compound two Sundays ago and seeing the deplorable conditions under which the residents, particularly the children, were living. Minister Broomes said during the meeting on Friday a clean-up exercise was planned. “What is beautiful here now is not only that they will have this exercise today, but they have this maintenance committee and every week they plan to maintain the ambience and health,” Minister Broomes said.
She said upon hearing of the conditions under which the residents live, Fabulous Homes opted to construct two sanitary blocks within the compound. “Fabulous Homes, they sent a contractor here this morning to look at it and they are going to support in setting up the lavatory facilities, toilet and bathroom; and I spoke with Van-West Charles and he will be here, ensuring that they have water running to the lavatories,” Minister Broomes explained.
Even as the residents cleaned up their surroundings, a team from the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) was engaged in numbering the housing quarters in the compound. Head of CH&PA’s Relocation Resettlement Unit, Roxanne Campbell, said it was the first time an inventory of the number of persons settled in the company was being taken. Campbell explained that the census would give the housing authority a clear idea of the number of persons living in the compound and the number of housing quarters existing.

Most of the residents living in the compound are from households relocated from Tiger Bay over 20 years ago. On Friday, during the meeting with the two ministers, they spoke of feeling abandoned and forgotten by the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration, which had told them that they were only being relocated for a temporary three months period when they were first moved to the compound.