Community infrastructure project needs review – Region 2 residents

Residents living in various communities in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) have complained that the Community Infrastructure Improvement Project is not delivering the kind of services it once did when compared to the past and they are calling on Agriculture Minister Noel Holder to immediately intervene.

Residents complained that employees attached to the project within the local authority areas are not executing their jobs, and as such, have called for a review since management and operations of the project is increasingly criticised.

Residents are of the view that the project is not properly supervised and this is creating a heavy backlog in the amount of drains that are not cleaned, while works executed do not meet minimum levels of satisfaction.

When contact was made with the Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Devanand Ramdatt, he said he is in receipt of numerous reports from residents regarding the poor management of the project.

The Regional Chairman explained that in the past, more community enhancement works were completed under the said project. Drains, road shoulders, Government buildings and compound were maintained through a similar project.

According to Ramdatt, that project was much more successful since local authorities and the Regional Democratic Council had closer collaboration. He is of the view if the project is better managed, many of the concerns raised at the community level regarding drainage will be addressed.

The Regional Chairman said he is very concerned about the project particularly since numerous residents are dissatisfied with the service offered. As such, he said he had requested clarity from management regarding details of the project, since there seems to be a weakness in the implementation process.

He indicated that he had also requested to have such information from the Coordinator of the project but nothing has been provided to date.