Berbice residents protest against ministers at Govt “outreaches”

Government Ministers visited Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) on Friday in what was expected to be a ministerial outreach to the region however, widespread picketing and poor turnout were the order of the day.
Government had arranged 11 meetings in the region with the hope of meeting with residents. However, the ministers turned up at nine of the proposed meetings and were heavily picketed at most of them.
The two meetings scheduled for the East Bank of the Berbice did not materialized, focusing the handful of people – who went out to have issues addressed – to return home.
At Glasgow also in the East Bank of Berbice, Ministers Winston Felix and Tabitha Sarabo-Halley were expected to address residence but dissatisfied residents turned up with placards, highlighting the fact that the current administration is illegal as thy called on the David Granger led administration to resign from office.
The situation was similar at Lighttown where Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence and Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman were slated to address residents.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the region at Crabwood Creek, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan was greeted with a barrage of protesters when he went into the community.
The protesters also chanted slogans as minister within Indigenous Affairs Ministry Valerie Lowe spoke to less than ten persons as she announced that General and Regional Elections will be held this year.
Also attending the meeting was Minister Anette Ferguson who explain the central Government’s role.
At the end of the meeting the few farmers, who attended expressed disappointment stating that none of the ministers addressed issues of concern to them – namely agriculture as rice, cash crop and cattle farmers are in need of urgent intervention from central government to have canals and dams upgraded.