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Hon. Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall met with residents from several communities across region 3.

During the meeting, the Minister listened and documented the issues raised by residents.

Among the issues highlighted were rehab works for a few roads, drainage, flooding, the need for properly lit streets, access to a community ground located in Den Amstel, recreational facilities at Patentia, payments for Part-time Workers, and Health Centre services.

The Minister has committed to the residents that their voices were heard and that their concerns will be addressed with relevant agencies.

NDIA, Public Works

On the note of drainage and irrigation, residents spoke of flooding because of poorly maintained drains and canals during rainy weather and high tides. A commitment was made by Dharamlall to engage the Agriculture Ministry to assist with the desilting/cleaning of drains to alleviate flooding and clogged drains.

The Regional Engineer is responsible for doing inspections throughout the region prioritizing the concerns raised about drainage. He is now required to provide that data to make way for a speedy resolution for the residents.

As the concern for roads was highlighted, people were encouraged to identify priority areas. Those included roads where schools, health centers, and elderly people live.

“Public Works Minister, Deodat Indar and a team will visit the region to assess the damage

to roads and look into getting the priority roads completed.” – Minister Dharamlall.

Recreational Facilities

As promised, Ministry of Culture Youth, and Sports Minister, Charles Ramson was contacted to assist with recreational facilities for the youths across the region.

Lights

Residents at both meetings highlighted the need for streetlights. It was concluded that each area will be assessed to determine where lights are needed and will be provided through the NDC in the interim as Dharamlall said, “upon completion of the gas-to-shore project, it is the government’s mandate to ensure lighting is installed countrywide, especially in places they need it most in at least 1.5 years.”

Part-time Worker Programme (PTWP)

To date, 2000 people are employed under the PTWP, 65% are women with approximately $80B spent in support of the initiative in the region.

NDCs and LGE

Dharamlall reiterated to residents at Patentia that the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) is responsible for works within their communities, such as but not limited to; the garbage disposal and maintenance of drains/canals. As such he encouraged persons to vote on June 12^th as their vote determines the councilors who are responsible enough for the affairs of their community.

This is part of H.E. Dr. Irfaan Ali’s commitment to development countrywide through the Local Government Sector.

Clean spaces = happy faces!

Despite the inclement weather, residents of the North Sophia community came out in their numbers to participate in a scheduled clean-up exercise on Sunday, December 4, 2022.

Some residents explained that for years nothing was done about their drainage situation. As a result, when it rains there is massive flooding, and the community is under water for much longer than it should be.

Shawn Robinson, a resident of North Sophia, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the work that the Government has done and continues to do for community development. A trend Robinson said he hopes will continue with much frequency. Several other residents have expressed similar sentiments.

During the exercise, Hon. Minister within the Ministry of Loca Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud met and spoke with the residents many of whom voiced their concerns over electricity theft, squatters, dumping of garbage, drainage, and irrigation.

Minister Persaud has committed to return to North Sophia to continue to assist with the clearing of drains and canals as the rainy season approaches. This will alleviate the magnitude of flooding experienced in that neighbourhood. He has also committed to ensuring that the concerns raised during the exercise are handled by the appropriate agencies.

Also lending their support were the Ministries of Agriculture and Public Works who sent out excavators to assist with the desilting and cleaning vegetation in the canals and small drains.

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CONTRACTS SIGNED || $420M for Markets construction at Parika and Leonora

-Providing jobs to citizens nationwide – President Dr. Irfaan Ali commitment.

Two contracts were today signed in the presence of the Hon. Ministers of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall and Public Works, Deodat Indar.

The two contracts are valued at a total of $420M for the construction of the Parika Market and a tarmac at Leonora Market.

The contract signed at Parika is for the second phase of construction of the market at a cost of $270M GYD. The Parika project should be completed in five months time.

After over five decades, vendors will benefit from a new market space conducive for plying their trade at the Leonora Market, Region three. In 5 months, transition works are to begin and a tarmac will be built then vendors will be placed into market to do rehab works on roads in the area.

The contract signed is for the construction of an 8000sq meter tarmac at a cost of $150M. Upon completion of this project it will cater to just over 700 vendors at the Leonora Market Space.

In the near future more work will be completed at Leonora market which will see the construction of sanitary facilities, upgraded drainage and electricity will be catered for. As time goes by an upgraded parking lot.

The trenches and drains surrounding the market area will be cleaned and upkept by the NDC.

Rehabilitative works and construction has been done on other markets across the country, Mon repos, Charity, Berbice, other small markets around Georgetown with the first phase of Parika which started early 2022.

Several vendors were present at the contract signing and a few shared their stories as vendors and their gratitude for the project finally taking place.

People within the community will benefit from works in the community, specifically the market project. The contractor responsible for completion of works is from Leonora which means that the project will provide employment for persons of that community.

Also highlighted at the signing was the part time workers programme.

Minister Dharamall in his speech said that the part-time worker programme is a commitment of H. E Dr. Irfaan Ali to providing 50,000 jobs across the country with region 3 benefitting from at least $80M per month in salaries. Further, the minister calls on the NDC to ensure the upkeep of the infrastructure of public spaces in the community.

As the fastest growing community in the region, Minister Dharamlall also urged residents and vendors alike to keep the environment clean.

Residents were also tasked with encouraged to be involved in community projects as this will allow for smooth and transparent processes.

This project is a commitment of H.E. Dr. Irfaan Ali to development of communities across Guyana through the Local Government Sector.

NDC TRAINING || Final Quarter (2022)

The Ministry of Local Government & Regional Development today hosted a capacity-building session for Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

This exercise is part of the final quarter training and wraps up the Ministry’s training calendar for 2022. Similar sessions of this nature were held earlier on in the year for NDCs in Regions 1, 2, 9, and 10. The participants present were the Overseers (and Assistant Overseers where needed) from NDCs in regions 3, 4, 5, and 6. Quite a few of the participants were newly appointed Overseers who were benefiting from this training for the first time.

The activity which started off on a light note was specifically aimed at training Overseers to NDCs on the basic needs and functions of the councils through which they operate. The topic covered was –  Social Development Committee.

The Social Development Committee is a body that deals with complaints, welfare matters, sanitary issues, etc.

It is noteworthy that most NDCs focus on the Finance & Works Committees. Though not activated for most NDCs, the law (The Municipal and District Councils Act – 1969, part II) gives equal footing to the work of the Social Development Committee as the Works or Finance Committees – because the citizens’ welfare/issues are just as important to the financial and developmental health of the NDC.

Following the training, the NDCs will be correcting a wrong when they reconvene with their new councils for the first time after Local Government elections by appointing the three (Social Development, Finance, and Works) committees required by law, instead of two.

During the training, several case studies were examined and solutions were provided. This activity acted as a base to understand what the participants knew along with how they processed the information given.

After training, participants are now expected to go back to their regions to use the tools with which they are now equipped to better handle any issues that may arrive in their respective NDCs.

Municipalities will be included in next year’s line-up for capacity-building workshops/training sessions.

The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is committed to the capacity building of all Local Organs.