…from increased gov’t subvention

THE Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), of the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) sub district, Kwakwani, is putting its subvention of $12M from central government to good use.

This subvention marks a one-million-dollar increase from 2018.

Vice-chairman of the Kwakwani NDC, Cort Simeon, said that top on the agenda is the construction of a community multi-purpose centre which will consist of a library and an Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) hub to the tune of $2.8 M. There is currently no such facility like this in the community. Another capital project is the construction of a stage house to the tune of$2.2M at the community ground, where sporting, social, cultural and other national activities take place.

Two main access roads are also being constructed. The first is a road on the other side of the Berbice River, while the second is the ‘Old Plant Side Road. These are being constructed to the tune of $2 M. “That road was down for years, it was condemned and the people were suffering,” Simeon explained.

In addition to the subvention, the NDC also garners funds from the barge that transports motorists and pedestrians across the Berbice River; revenue and rates are also collected. The new council was able to increase the shares from the barge from 31% to 35 %. These means of income are used to offset administrative expenditures, such as paying salaries, etc. Simeon related that surpluses were used to clean drains and illegal dumpsites and to do institutional strengthening at the NDC itself. “We would have finished off a walkway at the council, we did some upgrades, purchased equipment and office supplies,” he related. The newly sworn- in council also honoured the Kwakwani basketball team, who have been resounding champions since 2006.

The new council highly favours community consultation and collaboration and has demonstrated this by holding quarterly public meetings, where the residents themselves get to air their views on what areas should be the focus. As a result of those meetings, the council and residents staged a community clean-up project which was deemed a major success. “We are getting the support from the residents, we are trying to establish that relationship and that partnership to get things done,” Simeon said.
The Kwakwani NDC is mixed politically. Of the 12 council chairs, four went to the APNU, three to the AFC, three to the Independent Group Kwakwani United For Progress and two to the PPP.