Dear Editor,
I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the residents of the Mahaica-Berbice region (Region Five) to publicly say thank you to the Prime Minister, Hon Mark Phillips MP, for his visit to Region Five on Saturday, April 24, 2021.
Mr Prime Minister, your one-day visit to this region speaks volumes of you and the PPP\C Government’s commitment to govern Guyana for all Guyanese. The residents of Region Five were longing for such a visit for the past five years from the former PM but guess the then PM was only thinking about himself and not Guyana or Region Five.
Why do I say that? As the former PM Rep in Region Five under the coalition, I can recall that I have made several requests for the then PM to have a field visit in the region. That visit would have afforded him the opportunity to meet with the residents and listen to their many concerns. But my request was like water on a duck’s back.
In fact, the former PM never had a one-day field visit/community meetings across Region Five during his tenure. He always said he was busy but we all know what he was busy doing – nothing.
Hon Philips, not only have I seen and heard you as you reassured Region Five of the Government’s commitments towards developing the region. But I saw action just after you spoke at Dundee, Mahaicony and elsewhere.
Many of the residents that came out and highlighted their concerns were very pleased that you took the time to sit and listen to them as they shared their plight with you. Mostly they were pleased that you immediately addressed some of their matters while assuring the others to have their matters looked into.
I must say that I was very pleased to see you interacting with shoppers and vendors at the Mahaicony Branch Road Market and the several businesses that you visited to look into their operations as you braved the sun and the rains.
Many business owners that wanted to invest heavily and are doing so presently were longing to have that interaction where they could have been afforded the opportunity to sit and have a one-on-one discussion with someone that holds the second-highest office in this land.
Mr Prime Minister, your day’s visit to the various villages in Region Five saw cash crop, rice and poultry farmers, millers, sugar workers, pensioners and all other residents, no matter their political affiliation, who had issues that needed to be addressed attend and were given the opportunity to voice their concerns.
Thank you, Hon Prime Minister, for your visit to Region Five and please, we the residents hope that you will continue to make such visits to Region Five more often.
Before I end, I must say that what you have done in one day the former PM never did in his Five years in office.
I have always said in the past five years and always will continue to say, “never forget who put you there and never forget where you came from”. Well, that is what happened in the past five years, all of the then Ministers and PM forgot who put them there and where they came from.
I hope Hon Prime Minister, you won’t be like those visionless and self-centred former Ministers and PM that were in Government for the past five years.
Thank you for your visit PM and do stay safe.
With regards,
Abel Seetaram
Former Region Five
RDC Councillor
