‘Don’t stifle your conscience’
GAP Region Ten Executive and former PPP member Kevon Lorrimer
GAP Region Ten Executive and former PPP member Kevon Lorrimer

…Former PPP member talks up development in Speightland

AT a Speightland public meeting on Saturday evening in Linden, former Region Ten Executive of the People’ Progressive Party (PPP), Kevon Lorrimer, urged the residents to use their conscience when deciding which political party should be the next government, as the community would have moved from being totally ignored, to now benefitting from developmental projects under the present administration. Speaking to a sizeable crowd consisting of mostly residents of the Mackenzie community, Lorrimer, who is now the Chairman of the Region Ten Guyana Action Party Chapter (GAP), told the residents that the PPP does not have their interest at heart. This is evident, he said, in the many failed promises that the party presented, while they were both in government and the opposition to the community; one they classified as their support base.

Reasons as those in addition to personal discrimination were the basis of his decision to resign from the party. In less than two year however, Speightland has witnessed several developmental projects, Lorrimer insisted. “The reality here tonight is who not to vote for, vote for your conscience, this government is the best and the only one that will move you forward,” Lorrimer said, as he prepared to list some of the projects that came to fruition.
In 2011, he said, the former administration promised the residents to transfer ownership of the ball field, the same field the meeting was held on, to the community, so that they can pursue communal projects and garner funds, but this never happened, he said. It was in September of 2019, that the APNU-AFC Government registered the ball field into the name of the community’s logging association.

A recently constructed $13 M bridge across the Kara Kara creek was also another failed promise by the PPP, which was made a reality under this administration. The bridge made ingress and egress for residents residing on the two opposite sides of the creek easier. “It was this government that made the impossible, possible and built the bridge and the contract was given to the community,” Lorrimer said to loud cheers.

The PPP, he also alleged, promised to provide chickens and feed for residents to start up poultry rearing businesses. Several residents built pens in optimism that the promise would be fulfilled but this never happened. It was also under this administration that the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, provided families with chickens and feed as a means of making them financially independent.

Two logging concessions were also allocated to the Speightland Logging Association, of which Lorrimer is an executive member. The main access road in the community was also rehabilitated and street lights were installed, which enhanced the visibility in the community.

Lorrimer reiterated that residents should see that this Government has their interest at heart and views them as civilized people who too should also benefit from a piece of the pie. He opined that the PPP treated them like ‘bush people’ who were only good for fishing and hunting. “Wake up and see people, they don’t have you at heart, when yal here I talk about the PPP Government, I am talking from my heart, I was a part of them, I know they don’t have you at heart,” he said. “People of Speightland, open your eyes, stop being distracted by those who are trying to divide the community…..focus on development…..focus on what is coming,” he added.

The residents were told that in the pipeline as well, is the development of a housing scheme for youths and single parents as well as the establishment of a community centre. Speaking at the meeting as well was former Regional Councillor Douglas Gittens and former Member of Parliament Mervyn Williams.

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