— in separate address in Regions One and Two

HOUSING and Water Minister, Collin Croal, announced on Tuesday that massive infrastructural transformation is in train for Region One.

According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, Minister Croal was at the time addressing residents at the region’s flag-raising ceremony in observance of Guyana’s 52nd Republic Anniversary held at the Mabaruma Settlement Ground.

He was joined by Regional Chairman, Brentnol Ashley; Mayor of Mabaruma, Chris Phang; Regional Executive Officer, Tikaram Bissessar other regional officials and members of the Disciplined Services.

Minister Croal said the government is committed to ensuring the citizens of the hinterland benefit from the overall transformation taking shape in the oil producing state.

“Even as we continue to battle a global pandemic which has brought some hardships as well as other global and regional challenges, our government is implementing bold and transformational infrastructural projects which will significantly narrow the gap between the coast and the hinterland,” he told the residents.

In Region One, more households are receiving electricity with the expansion of the power generation system in Mabaruma. There will be further expansion of the system this year which will see communities including Koberimo receiving electricity for the first time, and Yarakita village benefitting from a generator set. The power stations at Moruca, Port Kaituma and Matthews Ridge will also be boosted this year.

In the area of health, significant investments were made to ensure residents benefit from improved health service delivery.  To this end, the Mabaruma Regional Hospital has been transformed to a Smart hospital and will be commissioned shortly. Additionally, for the first time, X-Ray and other critical services are now available at Mabaruma, Moruca and Matarkai hospitals, the DPI report noted.

Further, the construction of the Mabaruma to Hosororo Concrete Road continues, as well as the construction and rehabilitation of the road from Wanaina to Yarakita. Works on the Mabaruma to Morawhanna road (phase two) continues and upgrading of two kilometres of road at Kokerital Hill will be done this year. New wells will be drilled at Wauna, Mabaruma Settlement and Khan’s Hill. The new $2.5 billion ferry that will ply the Georgetown to North West route will come on stream later this year. Consequently, the wharves at Morawhanna, Kumaka and Port Kaituma are being reconfigured to accommodate the vessel.

Minister Croal said as Guyana celebrates 52 years as a republic, the people must reflect on their achievements and aspirations for the future, DPI reported him as saying.

Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, spoke at the flag-raising ceremony in Region Two and called on all Guyanese to see themselves as one, irrespective of their ethnic background or political affiliation.

The $6.1 billion budget approved for Region Two, she said will enhance infrastructure, raise the standard of living and provide more opportunities for residents of the region.

Minister Rodrigues also spoke passionately about the various sectoral developments under the current administration and said that Guyana as a nation has transformed from 1966 to date.

“It was a struggle for us to fight for our Independence in 1966 and a struggle thereafter in 1970 when we achieved our Republic status it was at that time we were given the freedom to elect a President and a government to be governed by our Constitution,” Rodrigues told a gathering in the compound of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Anna Regina, on Wednesday.