Skull City/Area L gets first recreational park as Gov’t intensifies community dev. drive

Statement from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development:

Residents of Skull City and Area L, Patentia, Region Three, will benefit from the area’s first recreational park, following its official sod turning by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development on Friday.

This also marks the commencement of the first park under the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand. As she said, “the first of scores.”

The park, the first of its kind in the community, represents another step in the Government’s commitment to improving public infrastructure while creating spaces that foster healthier lifestyles, stronger communities, and enhanced quality of life.

Delivering feature remarks, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand said the investment reflects the Government’s belief that community development extends beyond roads, bridges, and buildings.

She explained that thoughtfully designed public spaces have far-reaching benefits, contributing not only to physical health but also to mental well-being, social cohesion, and a stronger sense of community pride.

 

Minister Manickchand noted that the significance of the park extends well beyond recreation, describing it as a space where memories will be created, friendships strengthened, and generations brought together.

“There will be a day when you’ll be able to sit in this park and ‘gyaff’ about long ago, discuss the happening s of the present, make important decisions through conversation and learn about one another” she told residents, adding that the value of such spaces grows over time as they become part of a community’s shared history.

She further emphasized that investments of this nature are central to building stronger communities.

“These spaces help us to develop stronger families, communities and a nation,” the Minister said.

The Minister also linked the initiative to the Government’s broader vision for national development, noting that while Guyana continues to modernize through major infrastructure projects, equal emphasis is being placed on improving the everyday lives of citizens, “a people centered country.”

Addressing residents directly, Minister Manickchand encouraged them to embrace the park as their own and work collectively to preserve it for future generations.

“You will always have the distinction of being the first,” she told the gathering, noting that the facility would serve as a lasting symbol of the community’s development.

Chairman of the Uitvlugt/Patentia Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Mark Khan, welcomed the commissioning, describing the project as evidence of the Government’s commitment to improving communities through meaningful investments.

“This is our park. We’re going to care for it, we’re going to beautify it, and we’re going to make sure everyone has a part in it,” the Chairman said.

“At the Ministry, we recognise that parks are much more than open spaces. They are places where children can play safely, where families can gather, where young people can engage in healthy recreation, and where communities can come together to build stronger social connections,” Saeed Zameen, Project Manager responsible for Parks, Recreation and Public Spaces, shared.

Minister Manickchand concluded by calling on residents to work alongside the Government to ensure the park remains a source of pride for the community.

“Partner with us as we do this. We need each other.”

The recreational park forms part of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development’s prioritized programs of investing in community

infrastructure that promotes healthier living, strengthens neighbourhood ties, and creates safe, welcoming public spaces for citizens across Guyana.