$69M for road works in Vergenoegen, Philadelphia

Newly appointed Minister of State Mrs Dawn Hastings- Williams on Sunday hosted a community meeting at the Philadelphia Primary School, East Bank Essequibo, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) where she announced that the Government has budgeted $69M solely for road upgrades in that community along with neighbouring Vergenoegen.

Minister Hastings-Williams also met with the youth and elderly residents during a walkabout in the village to listen to some of the challenges in their community, which included complaints about drainage and irrigation, security and public infrastructure.

Additionally, with concerns raised about street lights, the Minister of State said that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure would be installing LED street lights along the entire West Coast Demerara and East Bank Essequibo, ending at Parika.

In her address to residents at the community meeting, Minister Hastings- Williams noted that the administration is cognizant of the fact that most persons simply require better access to Government services and amenities such as water, roads, lights and recreational facilities and it is the duty of the Government to provide same.

As such, she noted that the $69M has been budgeted to provide road upgrades in the communities of Philadelphia and Vegenoegen, which was a main issue raised at the meeting and during the walkabout.

Additionally, Minister Hastings-Williams told the residents that Government considers the community meetings and public day activities to be an important exercise in the conduct of Government business and in determining what issues must be addressed to make the lives of citizens much easier.

Meanwhile, Ms. Bhagwantie Lall, a resident of Vergenoegen, who had the opportunity to engage the State Minister during her walkabout, said she is grateful that the Government has visited the community to address concerns of the residents.

“I am thankful that you have walked around to see for yourself what are some of the issues we are facing here in the community. Our hope is that the issues can be addressed,” she said.

With one of the issues faced by the community being improper garbage disposal and waste management, the Minister of State urged the residents to practice better environmentally friendly disposal of their waste, since it is their community which is being affected by their actions.

On other issues such as the installation of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Hub, repairs to the Vergenoegen Primary School and scholarships, the Minister has undertaken to engage her Cabinet colleagues to see how best the requests can be honoured. (Extracted and modified from Ministry of the Presidency)