Housing Minister hands over $13.5M in LED street lights to Kokerite

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal on Friday handed over 15 LED street lights valued at $13.5 million to the Region One (Barima-Waini) Regional Democratic Council (RDC), to enhance security in Kokerite Hill and its environs in the Mabaruma sub-district.

Minister Croal presented the lights to Regional Chairman Bretnol Ashley during an outreach to the region.  During the simple ceremony, the Minister said several Kokerite Hill residents would receive electricity for the first time, following the investment by the Government.
The electrical network has been completed and the residents in the scheme will have access to 110/220 voltage electricity to their homes. The network consists of the installation of 4 – 25 kVA transformers with approximately 1500 metres of secondary network (low voltage network) and approximately 600 metres of primary network (high voltage network).
Minister Croal said the electrical networking has been handed over to the Mabaruma Power and Light.
The scheme, which now falls under the purview of the Housing and Water Ministry – Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), is in the process of being gazetted and will be renamed Kokerital Hill.
According to Minister Croal, “On June 6, the gazetting period, the one-month notification will be completed and then we will have final processing for the legal ownership under the Central Housing and Planning Authority.” Following that process, the areas will be fully regularised and residents would be able to access titles for their lands in that area.
Meanwhile, Ashley expressed gratitude to the Ministry for its continued support to the enhancement of communities across the region, through the provision of streetlights and adequate water, among other amenities.