–promises residents ‘a better quality of life’; it’s not the last they’re seeing of him

PRESIDENT Irfaan Ali on Sunday paid his first visit as Head-of-State to ‘inner-city’ Tiger Bay in down-town Georgetown, where he not only met with residents, but committed to working on ensuring that they enjoy a better quality of life.

With him as he “grounded” with residents was First Lady, Mrs. Arya Ali, as well as Captain Gerry Gouveia, who was recently appointed National Security Adviser. Also on the presidential team were Deputy Commissioner ‘Operations’ (ag), Clifton Hicken; Commander of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica)’s ‘A’ Division, Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean; and several business persons who operate from the Rosemary Lane Community.
When he was good and settled, President Ali promised his eager audience that it was the first of many visits he would be paying the community, as “being on the ground” and “having a hands-on approach” enables leaders to have a better understanding of the needs of the people.
“You can sit in office and hear about the problems in Tiger Bay, but when you come out and you see it and interact with the people, and you see it from the ground, it gives you a better understanding of the problem itself,” President Ali said.
Speaking with the scores of residents that lined the streets of Tiger Bay, particularly Holmes Street, which is one of the main ones, he reiterated his commitment to developing the community, saying that under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)’s watch, the government intends to make Tiger Bay self-sufficient. And that, he assured his audience, can only be achieved by equipping those who live there with tools to ensure they are able to collaborate with the government to sustain themselves.

GREATER FOCUS

He highlighted that the government will be placing greater focus on the youths in the community, by providing greater and easier access to education and educational resources. He said, too, that the government will be working on providing residents with several vocational training opportunities, so as to ensure that they are able to use whatever skills they acquire to enter the job market.

He explained that through public-private collaboration, Tiger Bay residents will not only be able to gain employment in the skilled labour sector of the economy, in areas such as carpentry, electrical engineering and welding, but also access “small financing” so as to give them an “opportunity” to become business owners.
And while reminding the residents of the government’s commitment to its promise of working to ensure all Guyanese have access to a better life, he told them that they too have a voice in the running of the country’s affairs, and should not be afraid to use it, or seek help from the government.

Emboldened no doubt by what the president had to say, and the sincerity with which he was able to get his message across, several residents seized the opportunity to engage him, one-on-one, highlighting some of the issues that most bother them, such as limited access to resources and jobs. They also touched on their poor living conditions, and sought his assistance in helping them find better living accommodations.
One resident, Cheryl Accra, told the Guyana Chronicle when she had a chance to do so: “I’m glad the President come and see what the people have to live through; and I see he is making promises to help, but I hope the promises are kept. I know we did get some help before when this party was in power; I just hope we get it again.”

THE PROMISE

In response to seeing first-hand the state of the community, and having heard the issues of the resident, President Ali there and then committed to the residents to have the Minister of Housing pay them a visit, sometime within this new week, to begin assessment of the housing conditions in the community so as to ascertain what response can be undertaken by the government to provide a level of ease to the residents.
He also announced that the government will be working to design strategic policies that would target at-risk communities like Tiger Bay, by restructuring how resources are provided to those residents to ensure positive change that would be sustainable. President Ali said that in the interim, the Emergency Budget that was slated to be taken to Parliament for approval will see the provision of relief for residents living in at-risk communities like Tiger Bay.
During the visit, several families were given hampers that were a collaborative effort between the Civil Society and the Muslim Youth Organiation (MYO).