– community council to be established to support local development

RESIDENTS of Albouystown are set to benefit from expanded skills-training opportunities, youth development initiatives and infrastructure improvements following an inter-ministry outreach aimed at strengthening engagement between the government and the community.
The outreach on Wednesday evening was led by Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning Keoma Griffith, Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Steven Jacobs, and Minister within the Ministry of Housing Vanessa Benn, who engaged residents on employment, education, housing, sports and other areas of national development.
During the engagement, the ministers highlighted the government’s investments in human development and public infrastructure, while encouraging residents to take advantage of programmes designed to improve their skills, employment prospects and quality of life.
A key outcome announced at the end of the outreach was the planned establishment of a community council to coordinate various activities and address local development needs. The ministers also highlighted plans to concrete the community’s alleyways, complementing roads that have already been paved.
Minister Jacobs urged young people to pay close attention to the opportunities available through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, emphasising the importance of taking advantage of programmes that support personal development and career advancement.
“The idea of this is for you to pay attention to where the opportunities lie and the initiatives and programmes; you must have tunnel vision on that,” Jacobs advised.
The outreach also provided residents with an opportunity to interact directly with members of the government and raise issues affecting their community.
Minister Benn said such engagements were intended to bring government representatives closer to citizens, allowing them to discuss concerns and better understand the needs of residents.
“You have three government ministers here at the table. We just walked through a part of the streets of your community here in Albouystown. We have been engaging persons as we’ve been walking along the street,” Benn said.
She added that the visits reflected the government’s continued efforts to maintain direct contact with communities and provide residents with opportunities to engage with their elected representatives.
Minister Griffith, meanwhile, emphasised the importance of partnerships between the government and citizens in advancing community development.
“You have a government that is committed to partnering with each and every one of you. That is why we take it personal to come into the communities, to meet with the people, see all of you and hear from you for ourselves how we can improve your lives, and that is why we are here today,” he said.
Griffith urged residents to recognise the wider investments being made in public services and infrastructure, pointing to the construction of schools, road improvements and systems designed to support children, pensioners and other sections of the population.
He said the government was working to improve access to healthcare, education and skills training, creating opportunities for citizens to pursue technical trades, advance their academic qualifications and secure employment.
According to the minister, these investments are intended to benefit residents of Albouystown and communities throughout Guyana.
The participation of the three ministers reflected the cross-sectoral focus of the outreach, with labour and manpower planning, youth development and housing-related concerns among the areas addressed. Discussions also touched on developments in health, education and infrastructure.
The planned community council is expected to provide a framework for organising local initiatives and strengthening communication between residents and the relevant authorities, while the proposed concreting of alleyways would further improve the community’s infrastructure.
The outreach forms part of efforts to engage communities directly, identify local priorities and connect residents with government programmes and development opportunities.