Disrespect for Region Eight Democratic Council

May 29, 2013 Letters

Dear Editor,
The recent visit by the two Ministers of Local Government to Sub-Region 2 of Region Eight was appreciated. However, in my opinion it was of not much benefit to the residents if at all any.
The Ministers may have achieved their objectives but the issues affecting the residents remain. I learnt that the Junior Minister visited Princeville, Tumatumari and Micobie and had meetings with the residents there. Minister Ganga Persaud held meetings with the residents of Mahdia and Campbelltown.
The Regional Chairman and Councillors were not informed or invited to these meetings. The Regional Chairman received a letter one day before the team arrived, inviting him for the opening of the Princeville Health Post and another letter informing him that Minister Ganga Persaud will be meeting with the Regional Chairman and Councillors in the boardroom.
This is just another instance of the disrespect that is shown to the Regional Chairman and Council by this Government. I did not get to attend the opening of the Princeville Health Post because it was raining and no enclosed transportation was made available to me to take me there.
I attended the meeting at Mahdia, however. I refused to sit at the head table with the Minister because I saw it as being very disrespectful to the RDC for not informing of the meeting or inviting the council to the meeting in the Region.
While it is important to listen to all the problems affecting the residents, It was rather unfortunate that so much of taxpayers’ money was spent for that outreach that only dealt with small issues affecting the residents here.
Here are some of the issues I would have expected the team to address:
1 . The Bartica/Potaro Road from Bartica to Mahdia has been abandoned for years now. This road is of great benefit to the residents of this sub-Region.
2. Setting up a Landfill Site in Mahdia; over a year ago Minister Whittaker ordered the present dump to be close; and rightfully so, since the present dump site is approximately 300 feet from the Mahdia Airstrip. It is also very close to the housing scheme and residents.
Minister Whittaker had promise me that by December 2012 the Landfill site would be set up in Mahdia. Since we are five months past that deadline, I would have expected the meeting with the RDC to discuss the landfill site.
3. I would have expected them telling the residents in Mahdia, when will the inner roads in Mahdia be asphalted and also when will the Ministry of Public Works be repairing the Tiger Creek bridge.
4. I would have expected them telling the residents of the Government’s long term plan to solve the electricity problems in that Sub-Region. We would have liked to know whether Government will be assisting the developers of the Tumatumari Hydro, since not only that that Hydro can supply all of those areas with electricity it is also the only long term solution to the electricity problem there.
5. I was expecting them to tell the residents of Campbelltown and Mahdia what assistance the Ministry of Local Government would be given to alleviate the water woes there.
Since Government is collecting from this Region, I believe that a percentage should be set aside every year and given back to the Region for developmental works in the Region. Had that been the case, we would have able to access monies to refurbish the Tumatumari Hydro and many other things, like a technical Institute. We need a Technical Institute in Region Eight.
I would just like to advise the two learned Ministers that in future when they are coming back in the Region, they should better spend their time dealing with major issues affecting the residents in the Region.
Mark Crawford
Regional Chairman
Region #8

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Disrespect for Region Eight Democratic Council

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