PM reaffirms Govt’s commitment to develop Region 5

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips on Saturday visited several communities in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) during which he reaffirmed Government’s commitment to developing the region.

The outreach is a part of Government’s responsibility to assist in solving challenges of the ordinary Guyanese.
“This is a visit that I intend to do to every region, so that as your Prime Minister I can interact with you, listen to you and have a fair idea as to what are the big things that are affecting you in your community and what are the big ideas that you would like me to take back to the Cabinet and to the President as we seek to conduct the affairs of State to the benefit of all Guyanese,” the Prime Minister stated.

During Saturday’s outreach, the Prime Minister visited Mahaicony Branch Market, where he met with vendors and shoppers during which he appealed to the residents to take their vaccines to protect themselves against the deadly COVID-19 virus.
The Prime Minister further told the residents that the Government is committed to fulfilling promises made in its manifesto. High on the agenda, he stated, is the agricultural sector and development projects within the region.
“We have cleared 800 miles of canal from August 2nd to now and we have also reduced the land rates from $15,000 to $3500, this is a Government that didn’t only put promises in a manifesto, but also hit the ground running from August 2nd,” Phillips told residents of Bush Lot.
The Prime Minister also toured A Cayume Hakh and Sons Rice Mill at Golden Grove and R&R Business Enterprise (a hardware store) at Bath.
Location Manager of the rice mill, Reymona Ramlall said that she was pleased to have the commitment of the Prime Minister for the development of the region and to an extent the Private Sector.
She noted that the mill purchases paddy from hundreds of rice farmers across Region Five and Region Six and that she appreciates the commitment of the Government in assisting with overcoming challenges that would hamper the sector’s growth.
“It’s nice to have the Prime Minister visiting us, what’s comforting is to know that he is willing to be there with us to help the farmers. We have farmers coming here from both Region Five and Six and they look forward to doing business with us.”
Nevertheless, Phillips also toured the Guyana Power and Light’s Onverwagt Power Station.
Among some of the concerns raised by the residents during the outreach were land disputes, drainage and irrigation challenges and the upgrading of farm-to-market and community roads.
The Prime Minister requested that the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), look into the concerns and more so, move to resolve them where possible, while noting that Central Government will also assist where it can.
Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal related that he was pleased by the Government’s engagement with the citizens.
“Our people made full use of this opportunity of the Prime Minister visiting the region and that is the approach that we have to take to better the living standard of our people… Region Five is the largest rice-producing region in our country and so there is much need for improved infrastructure.”
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also stopped briefly at Number 41 Village to pay his final respects and offer his condolences to the relatives and friends of Abiola Blackman, a supporter of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) who died on April 16, 2021.