KUFP looking for clean sweep with women candidates leading charge

LGE 2018

The Kwakwani Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) has 12 seats up for grabs in the upcoming Local Government Elections, and with nine women leading the charge, the independent group Kwakwani United For Progress (KUFP) is

looking to grab all those seats.
The KUFP was founded in 2016 after Kwakwani resident Charles Thom saw the need for an independent group to keep the powers in check. The KUFP contested the 2016 LGE and got approximately 60 per cent of the votes, but because of the Proportional Representation System, KUFP gained only five of the 12 seats.
“We are the only independent group running in the Local Government Elections. We feel confident of doing better, and we are well represented with young people from various parts of Kwakwani. We have our vision for the development of Kwakwani, and we know the Government will work with us,” Thom said during a

recent interview with this publication.
He told this newspaper that developmental plans for that riverine community include a heavier focus on infrastructural development. He explained that the infrastructure in the logging community needs upgrading.
“One of the major problems in Kwakwani is dust pollution, and we need to find ways of addressing that. We have no proper roads, and if we get the majority, we will push for asphalted or concretised roads, especially the major roads in the community. We need to get it done, and we understand that it will take collaborative work, and we are a group that does not have any party obligations; so we will work in the best interest of the people here,” Thom said.
“We have seen, over the years, that the parties in Georgetown put people who are not fit to be the leaders here. We want to have the community developed, and that is our priority right now. That is all we want,” Thom added.
Those on the list of candidates for the KUFP are Petranella Pollard, Randy Williams, Michelle Rogers, Earlina Towler, Jennifer Edwards, current NDC Chair Juanita Leacock, Michell Simeon Watson, Loraine Fordyce, Maleka Russell, Lyndon Mc Calmont and Fay Rodriguez.
Leacock is a logger and a trained Medex. She was secretary of the Upper Berbice

Forest and Agricultural Producers Association (UBFAPA) for two years, where she brought a higher standard to the secretary position. She excelled at representing the UBFAPA at national meetings, and was a regular invitee to national meetings, especially as a representative of women’s rights. She has been an NDC Councillor for three years, and took up the mantle as Chair about seven months ago.
Leacock has established herself as a Chair who is capable of doing all the managerial and contractual work, as well as representing Kwakwani at any level required by the NDC. Speaking about her experience at the helm of the NDC, Leacock said she is proud of what the NDC has accomplished in that short time.
“We have accomplished so much. Most of the issues we have had over the years are being solved. We will be pushing for more infrastructural development, as well as better health and education. Our education system is good, but is swamped at

times. We need to do more training (of) our teachers and so on,” she said.
Leacock explained that the NDC will be pushing for a more developed health care system. She said the NDC will be pushing for more services to be offered at the Kwakwani Hospital, as opposed to having Kwakwani residents travel all the way to Linden or Georgetown to access certain healthcare services.