NDC blasts Govt for blaming reps for infrastructural, drainage problems

The Tuschen-Uitvlugt Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) has condemned sentiments shared by Government officials during a community outreach, recently held on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD).
Chairman of the NDC, Vishal Ambedkar stated that outreach was conducted at the Tuschen Primary School in the company of Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo and other Government MPs. The NDC was blamed for the infrastructural and drainage problems plaguing the Tuschen New Housing Scheme, but the local organ body maintained that it is a shortcoming on the Government’s end.
The chairman shared his position, noting that the community is populated with thousands of persons and the Communities Ministry is responsible for initiating or providing appraisal for properties which are not rated within the Valuation Act.
Presently, the Central Government holds jurisdiction over the areas and it has not been handed over to the NDC as yet.
He gave a synopsis of how their subvention is being handled noting that, “$4M is to be used in 10 constituencies where approximately 25,000 persons reside. This means that in Tuschen/Uitvlugt Government gives $160 to be spent on each person within the Local Authority Area.”
As it relates to recreational grounds, the Chairman stated that the Communities Ministry was written and a grant of $7.8M was requested for the Tuschen and Zeelugt grounds to be rehabilitated. However, a response was never received.
Furthermore, the Council had requested the Regional Democratic Council and Ministry yet again, for assistance to level the roads and clean drains along the scheme. After some 10 letters, no response was ever sent from these agencies.
The chairman stated that there has been numerous efforts to engage Government on improving the aesthetics of the community but there has been little to no support, except for the yearly subvention.
“The impression given by Cabinet Members that the NDC is working against the people within the LAA is totally untrue and is a clear attempt to misinform and confuse the residents of Tuschen. The council has requested from the RDC and Ministry of Communities, assistance with machinery or fuel to grade roads, parapets and clean drains in Tuschen New Scheme. In, fact I have written over 10 letters to that effect since assuming office in 2018, all without a single response. These issues were discussed with Minister Bulkan, Minister Patterson and former Minister, Harmon all to no avail,” he posited.
The NDC reminded that proper roads and drains are still to be provided to these residents and called on the RDC and Central Government once again, to bring relief to these communities.
Last year, Guyana Times had reported the cries of many residents within the same housing scheme, who were dissatisfied with the state of the roads. One of the councilors had stated that under the previous administration, there were regular maintenance of the roadway and attention was being paid to drainage issues.
“It has been like that for the past three years. What happened is under the previous administration, we would’ve seen regular maintenance of that road occurring on a yearly basis and not only the road, but the drainage system. Right now, no work has been done in the scheme. The entire road network in Tuschen Block Eight is in terrible situation,” one of the councilors had stated.