Access to birth certificates, defective works among issues affecting Kanapang residents

Access to obtaining birth certificates particularly for children, the need for more healthcare workers and teachers, as well as defective works in new projects, are among some of the issues residents of Kanapang Village in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) are facing.

“There is a problem that I have always been looking at. It could be any contractor, when they come to a village, they are doing a short time work and a short time work is substandard work…It is not really a quality of work that is being done.

“When it comes to important contracts, let us plan carefully so that it must not in one year have a defect,” one resident highlighted.

Another resident said, “We have a problem with birth certificates…a lot of children here have no birth certificate.”

The issues were raised by residents during a meeting with Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal on Monday.

Kanapang was among one of the hinterland communities visited by Croal at the weekend. The purpose of the visit was to commission water supply systems in the villages.

But before this was done, Croal met and interacted with the residents. And coming out of concerns raised, suggestions were made on how the issues can be rectified.

“We have assessed what is needed in all the villages. For example, this village (Kanapang)…you are seeing a lot of infrastructure work happening and that is because more resources are being pumped into the villages for us to ensure that as quickly as possible we all have facilities that require us not moving onto other locations but to get the service in our villages,” Croal explained.

He added, “The services that is being provided by your country is for all of the citizens including you here, never mind you are on the border, you deserve similar services.”

Since assuming office, the government has been investing significantly in the country’s hinterland regions to improve the livelihood of the residents.