–affirm that they are seeing brighter days under the PPP/C Gov’t
REFUSING to stand idly by and allow untrue claims of discrimination to plague Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), concerned residents of New Amsterdam have said that because of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, the town is now seeing brighter days.

Highlighting the selectiveness of a visiting US group that is purportedly investigating the opposition’s claims of discrimination, residents, during a broadcast on the National Communications Network (NCN) on Saturday, said that it was evident that a recent town hall meeting in New Amsterdam was only directed to a certain group of persons.

While rubbishing the claims of discrimination, former member of the People’s National Congress- Reform (PNC-R), Barbara Pilgrim, spoke on the external racism she endured when she crossed over to the PPP/C.
“There was no intention to fact-find because if you’re going to fact-find then you have to go to the man in the street,” she said while highlighting that only a handful of persons were invited to the meeting, and even a prominent community member like her was not aware until hours later after she was informed by someone.

Emphasising the point that Afro-Guyanese are not being left behind or excluded from opportunities, one resident explained the one-sided nature of the ‘fact-finding’ mission. The resident stressed that the delegation was overlooking the neglect Region Six experienced under the PNC-R.

“The government is on a drive [to] development… I feel it is because of the rate of development and how [many] Afro-Guyanese are coming onboard of the development train that is what is causing problem in the Opposition camp” the man said.

Earlier this year, it was announced by the Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo that over US$400 million will be injected into Region Six over the next few years through the construction of the New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek four-lane highway expansion.

This and other projects are part of the government’s master plan for infrastructural and social development in the region.
“The People’s Progressive Party/Civic has brought light back to New Amsterdam… the [PPP/C] is on a drive to make New Amsterdam apart of the train of national development,” a resident firmly remarked.

He also made reference to the commencement of land clearing at the site for the US$161 million state-of-the-art New Amsterdam Hospital in Region Six, coupled with the other preparatory works moving apace.
The contract for the New Amsterdam Hospital was signed in July between the Ministry of Health and VAMED Engineering, an Austria-based company.

Furthermore, Cordel Vagelli Austin, condemned the attempts to divide Guyanese through a vehicle disguised as a “fact-finding” delegation.
Joel Amsterdam, on the other hand, dispelled the claims of favouritism when house lots are being distributed, and said that under the current government the housing sector is reaching new heights.

In October, it was announced by Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal that approximately 1,400 house lots were allocated in Region Six alone, and plans are afoot to continue the housing drive aggressively, with the establishment of another housing scheme towards the other end of East Berbice.
Moreover, in August, Minister Croal disclosed that the ministry had been able to distribute over 24,000 house lots nationwide over the past three years.