A visit to Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) recently by government officials has revealed that those who reside in far-flung, riverain communities are in dire need of electricity and internet, especially with the restrictions that the Coronavirus Pandemic has imposed.

And the government, according to Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, is bent on ensuring that resources are shared with these communities.

“The riverain communities are top on our agenda and that’s why we were in there,” Indar told Guyana Chronicle Sunday afternoon, as he noted how people in these sections of the country are not receiving even the most basic necessities.

“Water and light, ownership of their land,” he reflected, are some of the things lacking in the riverain communities. “The people I went to didn’t see a minister in five years. That tells you that developing the lives of those in the riverain communities was not something on the previous government’s priority list.”

Indar, along with Member of Parliament, Jennifer Westford and other officials met with residents at 58-Mile, 47-Mile and Mabura Hill, in Region Ten. Concerns related to forestry, mining and access to potable water were raised. Indar reminded the residents of the grant by the Indian government which will see the procurement of some 25,000 that will be distributed across the country, especially to riverain communities.

“Everywhere you go in the hinterland, everyone asks for energy. For the far-flung areas, solar energy is the only thing that they can depend on,” Indar noted, adding, “We already got the quotations, we know what the prices are; it’s just a matter now for the procurement to be done.”

This project was accelerated following discussions between President Irfaan Ali and Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, K.J Srinivasa, along with the officials from the Ministry of Public Works.

“Very shortly, the final programme will be announced because it is currently being designed where we can see household units possibly 20,000 to 25,000, being procured which will speak to an upgrade from 65 watts to 100 watts for our brothers and sisters in the hinterland communities,” the Department of Public Information had quoted Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill as saying.

Meanwhile, Indar said, during the recent visit, issues with titling for Amerindian lands were raised and the people further asked for their community to have their own concessions relating to subsistence logging and mining.

Other issues also included the lack of an ambulance at 58-Mile and 72-Mile which makes it difficult to transport sick people in the event of an emergency. It is also difficult for the children in the villages to learn because of the lack of electricity and internet. At the moment, they are making do with the materials being provided by the Ministry of Education. The road to Rockstone is also in a bad state and the government is working to have repair works completed.