One-stop Government Service Centres for Bartica, Kamarang – Pres Ali announces

– assures residents of continuous investment during Reg 7 Cabinet Outreach

As part of efforts to enhance service delivery across the country, President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Sunday announced the launch of a government service center in Bartica and Kamarang, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) as well as a new ferry vessel to ply the Parika-Bartica route.
He made these announcements during a public engagement with residents of Karrau Village and Kamarang during day-one of a Cabinet Outreach across the region.

President Ali informed the residents that the government service center would be fully operational within a month, offering a wide range of essential government services directly to citizens there without them having to leave the region.
These include access to Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) services, National Identification cards, National Insurance Scheme (NIS), licensing, and birth certificates-all at one spot. The establishment of the Centres will enable quicker access to government services within the region, eliminating the need for long travel and will save residents both time and money.
Toshao of Karrau Village, Shane Cornelius, will head the new government service center.
At the time of the announcement, President Ali was accompanied by the Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency, and Implementation, Zulfikar Ally, who has oversight for this initiative.
Currently, there are three government service centers established across Guyana to enhance access to key services, with plans to take this initiative to the other regions. The first center was set up at the West Central Mall, Leonora, in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) in December 2025; the second at Fort Wellington in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) in February 2026; and the third, at the Cotton Field Call Centre Building, Essequibo Coast in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) in April 2026.
However, to further enhance connectivity and travel for residents of Region Seven, President Ali announced that there would be a second vessel deployed to service the Bartica-Parika route.
The Head of State explained that the new vessel would ease travel along the Parika-Bartica corridor, which he acknowledged has long posed significant challenges for commuters. The new ferry will join an existing ferry vessel already operating on the route.

Development Bank
In addition, President Ali also assured the Region Seven residents, as well as those from other hinterland and Amerindian communities, that they too would soon have direct access to soft loans and other business support through the Guyana Development Bank.
He pointed out that the bank is designed to support community-driven development, enabling residents to invest in small enterprises, form consortia, and pursue larger projects collectively.
“The Guyana Development Bank will allow us to target you directly, so that you can benefit from soft loans that will allow you to invest in your small businesses, that will allow you to come together in a consortium…and do larger projects,” President Ali told Karrau residents.

Apart from financing, the bank will also deploy officials to provide coaching, mentoring, and financial management training, ensuring borrowers have the tools needed to build and sustain successful businesses.
The Guyanese leader noted that the initiative represents the government’s commitment to providing resources, equipping citizens with the knowledge and guidance to make the most of them.
The Guyana Development Bank is set to launch in the coming months, as soon as legislation is approved in the National Assembly. The Guyana Development Bank Bill is slated to be laid in the National Assembly at the upcoming sitting on Friday.
Already, some US$100 million was allocated in the 2026 National Budget to establish the facility and provide seed capital to banks.

Outreach
During Sunday’s engagement, President Ali also addressed a number of issues that residents raised, including ongoing infrastructure investments in Region Seven, such as the Sand Hill Road leading into Bartica.
He also informed residents that a full assessment is underway to determine the best electricity solution for the village.
He also announced that the village will soon receive a permanent dentist attached to the Health Centre. A dental chair has already been purchased and is being installed.
In a comment following the engagement at Karrau on Sunday, Ali emphasised the importance of involving citizens in the decision-making process for the development of their community.
He noted that the complaints from Karrau have reduced by 95 per cent, with the requests from residents building on projects already executed in the village.
According to him, during the two-day outreach, “…not only are we going to be looking at the opportunities and what we have to do, but we’ll also be assessing the performance of technical people. And wherever there are lapses in that performance, there will be a consequential effect. And from this outreach, you will see some of that effect taking place.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips who was also part of the outreach across the region was joined by Labour and Manpower Planning Minister Keoma Griffith, and Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Pauline Sukhai who met with the residents and village representatives of Imbaimadai and surrounding communities to listen to their concerns and discuss areas for further support.
During the engagement, residents raised several matters related to community development and service delivery, including street lighting, old-age pension, land titling and demarcation, the rehabilitation of roads and bridges, health services, a proposed solar farm, the development of a community ground and centre, education, mining, and agriculture.
The Prime Minister assured residents that the matters raised would be examined and advanced through the relevant ministries and agencies, in keeping with the Government’s development and service-delivery framework.