–after day one of Office of the President’s Region Three outreach

RESIDENTS of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) flocked to the Leonora Track and Field Stadium, on Thursday, to engage officials on the first day of the Office of the President’s two-day outreach commenced.

Scores of persons had their issues resolved which ranged from matters dealing with the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), to Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), to applying for Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL).

A number of persons who were able to get their issues resolved at the outreach would’ve been dealing with issues for some time now.

Among them was 32-year-old Saudya Ally, from Leonora, who was able to get signed up for the public welfare assistance for her 12-year-old son who is living with autism.
Ally said that as her son got older she was forced to quit her job and become a full-time, stay-at-home-mom to care for her son, and this has caused a great strain on her finances at home. The mother of four could not contain her relief at seeing her issue settled.

“I applied many times but never got through. I was waiting on them, because at first I didn’t know I could get public assistance for him. But now that the ministry started doing more awareness [about persons with disability (PWD)], it’s then I get to know more about being able to get assistance for him. I thought it was a hectic process to go through. But now they did it and they said next month I will collect it,” a smiling Ally shared as she sat with her son.

Ally was also accompanied to the outreach by her husband who was also seeking assistance with a matter involving land at the Ministry of Housing and Water (MoHW).
A significant amount of the day’s issues were at the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) under the MoHW, with many persons coming to check up on their housing applications with the hopes of receiving a house lot allocation.

A 59-year-old woman, Pamela Callender, who already owns a land, however, was there hoping for assistance with building a home, after her home collapsed a few years ago and she is currently living in a makeshift shack.

Callender of Tuschen Housing Scheme, shared that she is currently caring for her 63-year-old brother who is blind, and 15-year-old granddaughter who also suffers from a disability and is not able to take care of herself.

“I living in this house for about seven years now since this house fall down. I need some assistance. My situation is the mercy of God keeping us. My brother used to help me but from working in the gold bush he got hit in the eye and he’s blind now. Is going I was going in the bus and the bus man told me i should stop out here and try to get some assistance,” Callender shared.

Many of the persons attending the event commended the government for bringing the outreach to the region, enabling residents to be able to get a one-stop shop of government agencies and be able to have their issues dealt with expeditiously.

“It’s really good. A lot of people, a lot of people can get help through this. I hope they continue like this,” commented 67-year-old Rajendra Kishore, who was also at the outreach dealing with a matter at the CH&PA.