…President uncorks developmental package at coalition rally
…promises state-of-the art hospital, modern airport, ‘A’ grade school, tertiary institution

ON October 20th, 2017, Lethem was declared a town and transformative changes were made to reflect this status upgrade. Among these were massive infrastructural developments which were headlined with the first-ever asphalted four-lane Barrack Retreat Corridor and development in the various sectors such as education and health.
On Saturday evening, thousands of residents who travelled from the four corners of the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region were told that this is just the tip of the iceberg, not only for the township, but for every village in the Rupununi, from the north to the deep south. With the ambitious plans in store to strengthen the Rupununi, President Granger said that Lethem will never be a village again and the entire economy of the Rupununi will be strengthened if the APNU+AFC Coalition is given another chance in government. He was at the time giving the keynote address to a mammoth crowd consisting of the elderly, youths, women and children who converged at the Tabatinga Sports Complex in support of the party’s campaign.

Under his presidency, continuous development for Region Nine is guaranteed and this could only be possible with the efforts started in 2017, when Lethem was declared a town. “Lethem is moving to become the brightest part in the south, the brightest town in the south of Guyana and we will see the progress that will take place after the 2nd March. A booming town, phones, water, street lights…you have to recognise how this came about within the shortest possible time; it came about because of the APNU+AFC Administration,” President Granger said. “Without us being in office, this would not have happened, we care about you, we care about every region of this country, we care about Lethem, that is why we made you a town,” he added.

Outlining some of the developmental projects in store for the township, the President promised a state-of-the-art public hospital so that residents do not have to cross the border to benefit from high-class medical care, and an international aerodrome so that residents can access international flights right in the Rupununi, rather than travel to Georgetown. “You will never be a village again, you will be a town, a booming town,” the President said, to a reverberating roar of approval.

Progress will not stop at Lethem
For the wider Rupununi, President Granger said that there is a plan for expansion of the economy of the region. There will be Grade ‘A’ secondary schools and tertiary institutions for students to attend; the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce will be developed; the tourism sector will be expanded; renewable energy generation will be revitalised through the provision of hydro power and the extractive industries will be restructured to ensure that the environment is protected. “The Rupununi and the hinterland will be strengthened. I care about the development of the hinterland. We have a plan for the Rupununi and we will make sure that plan is implemented more fully than before. We are going to convert promises that have been made into performance. We are going to convert the potential of this great region into production; we are going to convert the villages which are languishing in poverty into villages which are enjoying prosperity,” President Granger affirmed.
We have to change the RDC.

These regional developmental projects the President said, are part of the Plan of Action for Regional Development (PARD) which is being spearheaded by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). It is pertinent that the APNU+AFC wins Region Nine at the regional level as well, since there has been a stymieing of progress at this second tier of government, the Guyanese leader said. While expressing confidence that his coalition will win the majority in the region, the President called on the residents, who journeyed from as far as Annai in the North, Gunn’s Strip in the South and Aishalton in the Deep South Rupununi, to vote out the anti-progressive PPP-controlled RDC on March 2nd. “I am telling you this, as long as the RDC is elected by the PPP, they are going to fight down the central government; we must stop it from happening and we must stop electing the PPP RDC. We cannot progress in the region if we have an RDC that is defying the Minister of Communities, defying the central government. If you want Rupununi to move forward, you have to pay careful attention to the arithmetic,” the Head of State reasoned.

Only a few months ago the PPP councillor who represented the village of Katuur, threw her support behind the coalition publicly at a community meeting hosted by Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Annette Ferguson. She said that as a councillor representing her community at the RDC, her complaints fell on deaf ears and the PPP-controlled council did nothing to address them to relieve the residents from some the problems with which they were faced. In was for that reason, she openly said at the meeting, that she will be supporting the APNU+AFC.

The President said with a landslide victory at the regional level, projects in store for the further empowerment of youths will materialise and he boasted that the education sector is already on the upswing in the region. Only last week the first hinterland technical institute was commissioned in Region Nine at Bina Hall. The $130 Hinterland Green Enterprise Centre is located in the same compound as the Bina Hall Institute and boasts eight classrooms, a modern computer and science laboratory, a large auditorium and a lecture room. The facility can accommodate 120 students at any one time.

In addition, for the first time, a Rupununi student Amisha Ramdin from St Ignatius Secondary School copped the eighth position in the country at the 2019 CSEC examinations. She gained 15 Grade Ones and credited the coalition’s provision of internet services at her school, as one reason she was able to succeed. Hundreds of students across the Rupununi also benefitted from the 5 Bs programme and are able to attend school regularly and punctually, as well as benefit from a hot meal while at school.

Hundreds of youths in the Rupununi also benefitted from the Hinterland Employment Youth Service (HEYS) as well as the Sustainable Livelihoods and Entrepreneurial Development Programmes (SLED), under the Government of Guyana. President Granger said it is only real leaders who provide opportunities for youths and that is what he has been doing and will continue to do when re-elected to office. “My brothers and sisters, from tonight on, let us organise, let us strategise, let us mobilise this great region to support our programme; let us continue development of this great region. Let us take control of this great region for the sake of our young people; let us take control of this region for generations, people who yearn for leadership…..let us mobilise with APNU+AFC and go out here and win this region for the sake of our children and the sake of Guyana,” he said.

In addition to President Granger’s keynote address, other speakers who expounded on the progress made in Lethem and Region Nine included Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sidney Allicock and Minister of State, Dawn Hastings-Williams. The thousands of supporters were also entertained by coalition-themed calypsos, poetry and dance. Present at the rally were other ministers of government such as Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman; Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally; Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. George Norton and Dr. Joey Jagan.