…hears concerns about roads, security

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs, Dr Karen Cummings, along with a few members of the Region Four Regional Democratic Council, on Monday, participated in a walkabout in the villages of Belfield and Nooten-Zuil on the East Coast of Demerara.

Dr Cummings was joined by Chairperson of the Grove/Haslington NDC, Maureen Philadelphia and other representatives: Ulita Moore and Michael Spencer.

The team visited several residents in the areas both young and old, lending a listening ear to their concerns and encouraged them to be registered in the current house-to-house registration exercise. Minster Cummings also encouraged youths awaiting Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results to pursue job opportunities in the oil sector and further their education at tertiary institutions.

The principal concern of the residents during the walkabout was deplorable conditions of some internal roads in their villages. At Nooten-Zuil, an agriculture-based community, several farmers expressed concerns about the conditions of the road used for transportation.

Heavy machinery such as combine harvesters and tractors use the same road to access the rice fields, thus damaging the roads further.

A few younger residents expressed concerns of security in the areas, with several detailing complaints of residents being robbed in the wee hours of the morning while returning home from work. A brave young man who goes by the name Nazim began a watch group along with a few residents in the area, but this initiative did not last very long.

In the walkabout the minister and her team were able to devise several strategies to help with this problem, suggesting that the villages can join forces with the neighbouring village’s (Victoria’s) policing group. Many also expressed displeasure with the overgrown bushes along the roads and trenches in the areas.

The minster collected several names and numbers of residents in the area to further discuss and find resolutions to the issues that were brought to light in the walkabout.
Minister Cummings also urged the residents in Nooten-Zuil and Belfield areas to not depend entirely on the regional democratic council to clean the areas. The residents she said should also take responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean. However, she hopes to commence a cleaning campaign with the RDC and the residents of Belfield and Nooten-Zuil. This she hopes will promote safer and healthy living environments.