— Public Works Minister says village-led infrastructural model increasing jobs, building skills and keeping resources within communities
HINTERLAND communities are becoming increasingly involved in delivering their own infrastructural projects, with village councils and residents now taking on greater responsibility for building and maintaining roads and bridges, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill has said.
The Minister made the remarks during discussions with Indigenous leaders at the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference, where he said the Government has shifted from the traditional approach of bringing external contractors into communities to a model in which residents are trained, employed and directly engaged in development projects.
Edghill said the approach was born out of concerns raised by community leaders who had complained that contractors would enter villages, complete projects and leave residents with little involvement in the process.
“I am happy to stand here and report to you that, having listened to that, you have become the contractors. You are the ones who are doing the work, and you are making a difference in your communities,” Edghill said.
He noted that the community participation model has ensured that investment remains within villages while allowing residents to develop skills that can be used beyond individual projects.
According to Edghill, through interventions by the ministry’s Special Projects Unit, more than 800 persons have been employed in hinterland communities, with many receiving training and acquiring construction-related skills.
“It’s not just about building roads. We have moved the discussion and the understanding from infrastructure to sustainable village economies,” he said.
The Minister highlighted that the approach has also enabled communities to develop the capacity to undertake future projects, noting that residents who worked on earlier initiatives have been able to transfer their knowledge and skills when new projects are introduced elsewhere.
Edghill said infrastructure investment has been critical to reducing isolation in hinterland communities, particularly during periods of flooding and other emergencies.
He noted that improved roads and bridges have helped maintain access to essential services, including healthcare, education and the transportation of supplies.
The Minister also outlined the scale of the Government’s infrastructural investments since 2020, pointing to increased allocations for hinterland development and the construction and upgrading of roads across several regions.
He added that the continued involvement of village councils will remain central to future infrastructural development, including bridge rehabilitation projects in communities affected by recent flooding.
According to Edghill, the partnership between the Government and hinterland communities is helping to create stronger, more resilient villages where residents are not only beneficiaries of development but also active participants in shaping it.
