– thanks to timely intervention of the gov’t

By Vanessa Braithwaite
IN tears, Samantha Salvador, a mother of one, declared that now that Brickery finally has electricity, she will be buying a television for her seven-year old son, since he was never able to enjoy such luxury before.

Overcome with emotion, Samantha said she will also now be able to help him at nights with his homework; something she was unable to do in the five years they have been living in the East Bank Demerara community.

These were the kind of sentiments that were expressed on Monday by several residents of the community who, like Samantha, now have access to electricity in their homes for the very first time. Thanks to the speedy intervention of the government, the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), was able, within one week, to provide electricity to the approximately 25 households located on Pickering Avenue, one of the many streets in Brickery.

After being forced to live for decades without this basic amenity, which proved to be a major deterrent to improving their standard of living, residents’ calls for a better way of life were finally answered recently when Minister with responsibility for Youth Affairs, Simona Broomes paid their community a visit and learnt of their plight.

Minister Broomes, who on Monday revealed she had been tasked by President Granger to look into the challenges affecting residents in neglected communities on the East Bank, said immediately she heard from Brickery residents what was ailing them, she engaged the management of GPL, and the project immediately began. “Our young people must have access to fundamental things such as water, light, and healthcare,” Minister Broomes said, adding: “Because of this initiative, a young boy, seven years of age, and his mother can now sit down and do homework. She is planning to get him a television; he has never seen a television in his home before; never seen light in his home. The amount of young people this initiative will impact is mind-blowing.” Residents related how hard it was surviving without electricity for decades, and while they’d made every effort to have this provided, their calls were never answered. “Twenty-five years! Punishing all the time in my life! Now, less than a week, we get current! What we couldn’t get in 25 years, because, due to the documents for the land we couldn’t get… But we are in process right now, so we just thanking GPL to come along with us and give us light,” Shawn Pickering, another resident said.

EXCITED AND OPTMISTIC

The residents were both excited and optimistic at how this move will transform their lives and will be the start to greater things, such as water and access roads. It will contribute significantly to their educational and social well-being, as well as their safety. “Thanks to the minister, and the intervention of the president that these things could be possible. And I’m sure it will push the community way, way, way forward because we have a lot youths here, so we must all give the government thanks and praise for seeking into the poor people and their needs, we don’t have to rich. We made a lot of moves, we went to different people, different ministers seeking help and we never got help from no body, thank God for our leaders and our government, to put the right foot forward to make our people happy,” resident Quincy Welcome posited.

The project did not only provide residents with electricity, but also temporary employment, since GPL used them as labourers. GPL’s Network Operations Manager Shaun Hamlet, who has responsibility for the transmission and distribution of power, said similar projects are currently being executed in several other communities, as the company is not only striving to achieve world-class status, but to provide a better life for all Guyanese. “We want to ensure that all receive a reliable source of electricity, “ Hamlet said, adding: “This project was important to us because it will primarily provide comfort, safety and security for all the residents. In addition to that, it will support the children with their regular school activities.”

GPL also removed the age-old policy which dictated that persons can only use their Identification Cards to process an application for electricity. Because of this archaic policy, several persons with other forms of identification ID, such as their driver’s licenses were previously turned away. Minister Broomes described this process as an oppressive one, and urged the other organisations to also remove it.
The residents are also expected to receive water and access roads soon.