President Dr Irfaan Ali, during an outreach in Region One (Barima-Waini), Tuesday said his Government’s development strategy will create opportunities for citizens living in hinterland and riverine areas.
The President and several of his Cabinet Ministers are currently on a two-day outreach to the region.
A release by the Office of the President said Dr Ali has explained that the government aims to deliver equitable access to services and opportunities to all its citizens. To this extent, Dr Ali said that all residents who have the entry requirements to become healthcare workers will be granted the opportunity to train and study through the Government.
Dr Ali explained that the government’s strategy is to ensure that every single Guyanese family can live a better life, have better access to education, health care, better access and all other things that will make their lives “easier, happier and better”.
The President said, “This investment we are making is because we believe in you, we believe in Mabaruma, we believe that Region One can produce high-quality nurses, high-quality teachers, high-quality dentists, high-quality technicians, high-quality engineers, but you must get the opportunity, and we are delivering and will continue to deliver that opportunity to you, the people of Region One.”
Dr Ali said that healthcare is continuously being improved and examples include access to medicines, medical supplies, equipment, human resources, the building and retrofitting of health centres and transportation to health centres.
In addition, the President disclosed that before the end of the first quarter of next year, the region will receive its brand new ferry and an investment of more than $2.3 billion to build two new wharves. He further announced that within the next four to six weeks, the security forces will receive three new ATVs and three pickups to improve the region’s security sector.
President Ali also noted that water, energy, transportation, security, education and recreation facilities are some of the other pillars that his Government will focus on for the region. The goal of the Government is for the region to have 100% access to potable water by the end of 2025.
“We cannot have our mothers, we cannot have our children, spending two or three hours every day just to find water to take you through that day. This is a key part of the transformation. That is why in this region, we are currently pursuing a programme to deliver 17 new wells to Region One,” Dr Ali said.
Additionally, he reminded that access to reliable energy is equally important to improved livelihood and development. The Government is investing heavily in renewable energy in the region, which includes more than $270m in a 400KVA solar farm. The region will also benefit from the Government’s 30,000 solar home units programme that will be supplied to hinterland and riverine homes.
Further, he said that while the Government has embarked on a massive public assistance programme, officials are aware that the system has kinks that prevent persons from receiving public assistance.
To remedy this, a massive outreach programme led by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will be launched in the region to resolve all the issues and “stop the bureaucracy” and other hindrances.
