Latest update October 6th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 01, 2014 News
– The difficulties facing the people are as a result of the corrupt Regional Administration Officials.
“The Potaro Siparuni, Region Eight is afflicted by a disease which has paralyzed its economic viability. And that disease is government’s neglect and abuse.” This is according to the Shadow Minister of Local Government, Ronald Bulkan of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
According to Bulkan, the symptoms of this disease are evident within the Region.
The Member of Parliament made this assertion yesterday at a press briefing held at APNU’s headquarters on Hadfield Street.
Starting the press conference with a detailed report of the “sickening state” of the Region was Leader of the Political Opposition, Brigadier David Granger.
Granger, in his address to members of the media explained that it is with a heavy heart that he relates the state of the Region which is considered one of the most breath-taking parts of the country.
The APNU leader highlighted that the people of the Region, mainly the Patamona tribe are poor, whilst their resources are exploited by the government.
He said that the physical infrastructure of the Region remains in a very deplorable state. He referred to the 180km long Bartica Potaro trail which was built over a hundred years ago in order to connect Mahdia in the Potaro-Siparuni to Bartica in the Cuyuni- Mazaruni, Region Seven. This road he said, begs for much reconstruction.
He also referred to the terrible water supply service which is due to the malfunctioning Salbora Water Project.
Further, the Member of Parliament also highlighted the under-equipped and understaffed regional hospital which is unable to provide proper service to the residents, considering that the area accounts for about 30 percent of all the confirmed cases of malaria in the country.
Another critical issue of note is that of poor administration. Granger explained, “The Region is badly administered by the agents of the central government. The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) was obliged to pass a vote of no-confidence against its Regional Executive Officer (REO) for his chronic non-cooperation with the Chairman and the elected councilors.”
Moreover, the concerned politician reminded of the case where the pupils of the Kato Primary School were fetching wood for the school kitchen last year. And there has been no plan to bring about a significant improvement in the educational sector for the Region, according to him.
He added that a shortage of teaching materials still continues to affect the delivery of education in the primary schools.
Another member of the Opposition, Desmond Trotman also supported the points made by his Leader. The Member of Parliament said that the faction is concerned about the Region as the difficulties facing the people are as a result of the corrupt regional administration officials.
He said, “The Region is known to contribute tremendously to the revenue base of Guyana and yet there is no programme which assigns development of the people and community a high priority.”
He stressed that there exists a great need for more accountability from the REO’s and that councilors be allowed to play a part in ensuring that financial and other resources be used for their outlined purposes.
He added that the failure of the RDC Councilors to have a greater say in the affairs of the Region and their ongoing corrupt, inefficient practices every year can be seen in the annual report of the Auditor General.
Supporting the points made by Trotman was political Coordinator of the Region, Gloria Bancroft.
Bancroft said, “The cost of living in the Region is at a ridiculous state. Just imagine that a pound of chicken is $700. Meanwhile, the entire settlement of Mahdia is without running water and there is no running water in the dorms at Paramakatoi. Children have to fetch water from a well.”
She disclosed as well that for more than six months the Mahdia Secondary School has been without a Headteacher, placing pressure on the subject teachers to act in that capacity.
She noted too that a batch of computers was delivered to Mahdia for the purpose of incorporating Information Technology into the school’s curriculum but this could not occur since there is no IT lab. The computers are still sitting in the Regional Education Office.
The panel passionately demanded that a new approach be taken in terms of the administration of the Region so that the spell of under development can be broken.
October 1st turn off your lights to bring about a change!
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