…residents optimistic about community’s development
The aesthetics of Lima Sands, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) have been significantly boosted with an 800-metre asphalted road, the first of its kind in the Essequibo Coast community – and residents are now optimistic about the development.
Lima Sands, like many other communities in Region Two, has its history etched in where the plantations in the area were, and depended on the Anna Regina estate for their water.
Asphalting being done in Lima Sands for the first time
Previously, the community was identified by loam-surfaced road. However, years of neglect had caused the main access road to the village to become decorated with potholes and huge craters. Since Lima Sands is predominantly a farming and mining community, trucks often leave their mark while traversing the roads.
Today, the rhetoric has changed, and the community has now benefited from the $136 million asphalted road, and concrete drains have also been constructed on both sides of the half-mile stretch, which, residents explained, is more than just a good look and a smooth drive. They said it is an entire transformation for the community.
During an interview with Guyana Times, Mohammed, a resident of Lima Sands, said the road would improve the social growth of their community. He also lauded the PPP/C Government for fulfilling its promises after residents’ concerns were raised at various community meetings.
The Lima Sands access road before the road development project
“I’m living in this community for over 10 years, and we complain about the road, [but] it was never fixed. I said to myself that Lima Sands will never get tar road. The condition of the access road back then was very bad; so bad that car drivers complained about their vehicle jamming and their bumper damaging,” Mohammed related.
Meanwhile, the Headteacher of Lima Sands Primary School, Nadiera Drikpaul, said the road works done would bring much relief to the residents of the community.
She stated, “The journey out of school on the last day of Easter Term 2022 gives hope, seeing this work in progress after many months of plying the journey in agony. I’m trusting the other phase(s) will be acted upon soon, so that by the end of the next term, the one km road in progress here can be joined to another two km at least… thanks to the administration for the present, and in advance for the phases to come.”
Another resident, Geeta Singh, praised the developments that have been undertaken in the community. She noted that in addition to the upgraded asphalt road, Lima Sands has also benefited from electricity, water, drainage and irrigation works, and the installation of street lights as well.
“During an outreach in the community by the Ministry of Housing and Water sometime last year, we asked for streetlights in our community. Without hesitation, CH&PA (Central Housing and Planning Authority) donated 30 street lamps to the community. We are all thankful for the development in our community,” Singh noted.
Those 30 street lights were donated to the community after the issues were raised at a “Dream Realised” Housing Drive in the region last June. During that event, requests were also made by residents for road rehabilitation works and transportation. As a result, an inter-Ministry response was activated, and the Public Works Ministry invested some $136 million to build half a mile of asphaltic road in Lima Sands.
