“We want to help you” – Pres Ali engages River View residents on relocation

– plans underway for new fishermen’s wharf, agricultural opportunities for young people

President Dr Irfaan Ali has engaged families living along the riverbank at River View in Ruimveldt, Georgetown, regarding their relocation to safer and more suitable housing areas.

The Head of State was, at the time, conducting a community outreach drive under the Community Ride Initiative, which involved him cycling through Alexander Village, River View, and Yarrow Dam on Wednesday, while engaging residents about their concerns and development priorities.
“We want to help you,” President Ali told a group of people at River View. “So, you all can’t say you don’t want [us to] move you from here. There is no way we can develop here. This is on the riverbank. So, what we want to do is move you all incrementally, and then we’ll take down all of this. We’ll help you with the social housing programme.”
Many of those individuals expressed their agreement with the plans outlined by the Guyanese leader for their relocation.

“Our priority is to ensure that every family, especially our children, can live in a safe, secure, and healthy environment with the dignity, stability, and opportunities they deserve,” President Ali stated in a subsequent social media post following his discussions with the residents.
Guyana Times understands that there are more than 20 households along the riverbank to be relocated.
In fact, the Housing Ministry will now have to conduct an assessment of the squatting area.
“Information gathering is the next stage. We will be doing that next week… So, that information will determine what has to happen and how we will deal with each one of them,” Housing Minister Collin Croal explained to this newspaper on Thursday.
Croal had accompanied the President during Wednesday’s engagement with the residents.
According to the Minister, “Some of them have applied [for house lots], so we will deal with them through that process… Some of them may not be able to afford [a house lot], so we’ll have to put them on the social housing programme.”
This social housing initiative, which was announced by President Ali in July, targets highly vulnerable individuals and families by supporting them toward homeownership. It will see the build-out of 400-square-foot single-bedroom homes for elderly persons, people living with disabilities, and/or persons living with extreme vulnerabilities across the country.

Wharf facility
Meanwhile, the Head of State further assured the River View residents that the proposed relocation would take into account their livelihoods, particularly the fisherfolk.
“Out here, we can build a little wharf with a little shed so all the fishermen can come back here and use the facility,” President Ali indicated during Wednesday’s engagement with the residents.
In fact, following that meeting, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha returned to River View on Thursday to advance these works. He conducted a walk-through of the community and met with fisherfolk to hear their concerns and identify areas where the Agriculture Ministry can provide support.
“I spoke with the fisherfolk here, and they raised some concerns. They said they wanted a wharf, so I visited the area they have there. Currently, they have small individual landing sites. I’ve asked the management of the NDIA [National Drainage and Irrigation Authority] to assess the space and develop an appropriate design so that a proper wharf can be constructed,” Mustapha indicated.
According to the Minister, the proposed wharf will provide a more organised space for fisherfolk to operate, including safe storage of seines, nets, boats and other fishing equipment, while also providing an appropriate facility for mooring boats and offloading catches.
The Minister said NDIA Chairman Lionel Wordsworth, along with a technical team from the Authority, will return to the area in the coming days to conduct the assessment and begin the process of developing the wharf’s design. Once the design is completed, the project will be tendered for construction.
Minister Mustapha also addressed concerns from fisherfolk who did not receive the recently distributed Fisherfolk Relief Grant. He said fisheries officers will collect their information, and, following verification, those confirmed as active fisherfolk will be added to the Ministry’s database and will be eligible to receive the assistance.
“Some of the fisherfolk here did say that they received it, so we just have to capture those who were not registered. So, we will work with them to ensure they are registered so that they too can benefit from the grant. Overall, we will work with them to enhance their position and ensure that they benefit from the resources that are extended to other fisherfolk around the country,” Mustapha noted.

Opportunities
The Minister further added that other Cabinet Ministers will also be visiting the community to address issues falling within their respective portfolios. He said several residents have expressed a willingness to relocate given the current conditions in the area, and those concerns will also be addressed as the Government continues its engagement with the community.
Minister Mustapha also outlined plans to create opportunities for young people in the area through agriculture. He said his ministry will work with young residents, particularly those completing school and attending tertiary institutions, to identify a suitable area where a shade house can be established for the cultivation of high-value crops.
“Our officers from NAREI [National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute] will work with you to establish the shade house and guide you on what to plant and the most appropriate farming techniques. Once you start getting production, we will work with you through the New GMC [New Guyana Marketing Corporation] to find markets,” the Minister assured residents.