Essequibo Coast residents call for more investment

As residents, especially the younger generation of the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) continue to move away from the region due to the lack of employment, residents are calling for more investments into the county.
During a visit Guyana Times spoke with a number of residents, who expressed their dissatisfaction over the lack of investments being made in the region.

According to the residents, the Essequibo Coast has the potential for growth, however, genuine efforts are not being undertaken to ensure that the county further develops.
“Essequibo have land, plenty land, we have space and we need so much, but no one is investing and the young people them keep moving away because of that,” one resident said.
One young teacher is calling for a University of Guyana campus to be built in the region, pointing to the fact that both Demerara and Berbice have campuses.
According to the young woman, the lack of a university in Region Two is chief among the reasons why the young residents are moving away.
“It’s hard because most of us want to further our education but we cannot do it from here. So that’s the only option left, to move somewhere where you can pursue your studies. And when you end up moving and see that there is a better life elsewhere then usually you don’t return, that’s how its been going for the longest,” the teacher shared.
She further revealed that the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) in the county only offers training in nursery and primary but not in secondary.
“So if you want to become a secondary school teacher, then you gotta move and go to pursue that at the colleges” she explained.
The residents are also calling for more business investments which will boost tourism in the county.
“We have the potential to be big, and there is so much that we need here. Business owners and investors can do well if they invest in businesses here but for some reason, no one is doing that. We have a few bars and so on but if you wanna go to a nice restaurant for a special occasion then you can’t even do that, you gotta travel out of Essequibo for stuff like that. If you want the movie theatre experience, you can’t even have that, you gotta travel out of the county for that, there is so much that we need, if only people would invest,” a shop owner asserted.
Just recently, Regional Chairman, Davanand Ramdatt had emphasised the need for growth and development in the county.
Ramdatt had noted that though agriculture is important and will remain important to Essequibo, the county is looking to build tourism.
The Chairman has expressed that business investments will not only add to the development in Essequibo but will see jobs being created.
“This business is coming at a crucial time. The economy is not as it once was but I know for sure that there is tremendous potential for growth and development. We strongly believe that this business will add to the competitiveness and will provide job creation,” Ramdatt had stated at the opening of a Diamond Insurance branch.