Vergenoegen residents in calls for koker upgrades, desilting major canal

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton Thursday pressed the government, particularly the Ministries of Agriculture and Local Government, to address what he said were residents’ pleas for the upgrading of a koker and the Truck Line Canal that drains Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

According to Norton, during a recent visit to the Region Three community, residents complained that the canal is completely silted up and the koker is in a state of disrepair.

“The residents are calling on the government to repair the koker having noted that as soon as it rains the area is flooded, affecting the livelihood of residents,” Norton said.

The News Room was informed that Shadow Agriculture Minister, Vinceroy Jordan, has dispatched a letter to Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, requesting a speedy intervention.

Mustapha was not able to immediately respond to the News Room’s query on Thursday as he is abroad on official government business.

But Norton also questioned the spending of the subvention given to the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in 2022.

He said it remained unspent at the end of last year and wants an explanation on why it wasn’t utilised.

He also wants to be assured that the money was returned to the Consolidated Fund.