Herstelling residents decry deplorable condition of streets

…calls for NDC to address plight

After months of pleading with the Little Diamond/Herstelling Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to have several roads in Herstelling rehabilitated, residents of that East Bank Demerara community are now up in arms agitating to have their roads fixed and claiming that things have gotten worse.

A visit to the area on Saturday saw residents up in arms in agitation to have their roads fixed. They note that they have tried on numerous occasions to engage the NDC in discussions to deal with the issue, but meetings never materialize. They say they are now forced to take money out of their pockets to fill the potholes in front of their respective yards, whereas money collected as rates and taxes should be used to fix the streets.
After constantly calling the NDC to complain, the council finally sent a bobcat to grade certain sections of the road that pose a hindrance for motor vehicles.
As it relates to fixing the roads, the local government body is at a standstill. “We pay to full it, and then the NDC send a bobcat and grade it out, and look…” a woman stated.
Many explained that they have been seriously affected by the condition of several streets within the area. One affected resident explained that he has cordoned off the front of his property because many vehicle owners are using his driveway to divert from the potholes when it rains.
And a businesswoman who complained of the same issues has placed garbage bins alongside her property to avoid damage to her parapet and driveway. Her contention is that taxpayers should have access to better roadways
“All the vehicles driving up here… We got to put out the garbage barrel just to save the entrance here, and then when the rain fall, it’s worse because the water keep coming in (our) yards. We’re paying rates and tax! Every year you got to make sure you pay it, and what they doing with the money? They have the money and they don’t want to fix the road”, the seemingly upset woman noted.
The roads in Herstelling have significantly deteriorated over the past months, and many commuters after affected in one way or the other. As such, they are calling on the NDC, and to an extent the Government, for assistance in getting the roads fixed. (Rupdai Sewnaraine)