Brickery residents grateful for gov’t and GPL initiative

by Naomi Parris

SAMANTHA Salvador, a mother of one, had declared that she will be purchasing a television set for her seven-year-old son, Jonathon McLennan, after her community in Brickery on the East Bank of Demerara, had finally received electricity after 25 years last Monday.
However, Samantha was given a surprise the following Monday when she received a television set, free of cost, for her son from a gracious donor.

With tears of joy, Samantha expressed immense gratitude towards the donor who opted to remain anonymous; the woman who was overwhelmed with joy noted that she is extremely grateful for the outpouring of support she has received.
She added that her son will now be able to experience a luxury he has never had before.
Meanwhile, Jonathon, who was very happy, could not hide his excitement as he saw the brand-new television. The child, who was preparing for school, stated that he could not wait to return home so he could watch cartoons on his television.

Additionally, Nadia Brandt, another beneficiary of the government’s initiative, noted that she is beyond pleased with the government’s efforts to assist residents in the area who were living without electricity for a long time.
“I feel so great …about five years now I was waiting for light, I applied but they [Guyana Power and Light] kept turning me down,” Brandt stated.

Brandt, who usually walks and sells fruit juices and homemade snacks, noted that she no longer has to ask her mother for assistance in making her juice since she is now able to blend her fruits in the comfort of her own kitchen.
“Normally, I used to have to wake up my mom to ask her to use her current to blend my juices and stuff, but now I can do it on my own,” she added.

Minister within the Ministry of the Presidency, with responsibility for Youth Affairs, Simona Broomes, had related that she had been tasked by President Granger to look into the challenges affecting residents in neglected communities on the East Bank Demerara; Minister Broomes noted that she became aware of the residents’ plight and immediately responded.

“Well, for me like always, once people are happy I’m happy; since I took office, this is what I’ve been doing; serving the people. I don’t take people for granted, so this is not about a campaign or a rally, this is about the livelihood of people, women, children,” she told this publication when she revisited the residents in the area on Monday.

The Minister further noted that she was especially touched and heartened by Brandt’s story since she relates with her from a woman’s and a mother’s stand point, “There was a woman there, providing, earning her living and all she needed was what I think is rightfully something she should have been receiving…sitting and waiting for electricity for five years it’s regrettable.”

Minister Broomes, who has always expressed her love for the grassroot people, further added that she is grateful to share such heartfelt moments with her fellow Guyanese as the country continues to grow.

“I really thank God for [the opportunity], I thank God that Guyana is moving in a place from its entirety from darkness into light, more and more as you go out there…I walk with people, I sit, I live, dwell where they dwell, so I know some of the harsh reality that people face daily,” she stated.

The Presidents vision for every Guyanese , Minister Broomes added, is not just a talk but is something that he is sincere about, hence she is always out in the field doing ground work in rural communities to ensure that every boy, girl, woman, man and every youth has access to the basic necessity, like electricity, water, education and health care.

The project, which was a collaborative effort between the government and the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), saw residents, who lived in Brickery without electricity for over 25-30 years, receiving electricity, within three days, for the first time.