Latest update January 30th, 2025 6:10 AM
Latest News
After two years of repairs…Parika Health Centre finally opens
After two years of being renovated at a cost of $2M, the Parika Backdam Health Centre is finally in operation. During the time it was nonfunctional, residents were being attended to by a Medex who utilized a part of the community primary school.
The centre opened shortly after Kaieteur News highlighted the inconveniences faced by residents, and the reason behind the facility being closed for so long.
The newly refurbished and recently functional, Parika Backdam Health Centre
Alliance for Change (AFC) Councilor in Region Three, Harry Narine Deokinanan said, that he finds it to be shameful that a building measuring 20 feet by 16 feet took two years to complete.
Initially, the health centre, which served hundreds of Parika Backdam residents, was in a deplorable condition, forcing residents to seek media coverage. Repair works began only after Kaieteur News highlighted the condition of the facility in April 2012.
Despite glaring sloppy works, Vice Chairman of the Region Three Health Committee is claiming that the facility was nonfunctional merely because the key to the building had been lost. But, Councilor Deokinanan said that he finds this to be “more than a lame excuse.”
Nonetheless, residents had told this publication that ever since the health centre was rewarded with a plaque for being able to administer the most doses of rotavirus vaccines in 2010, the building has not been maintained.
Anand Singh, a resident of Parika, East Bank Essequibo, had told Kaieteur News that while the residents were angry at the deplorable condition of the health centre, they were even more annoyed at the fact that after two years, they are still unable to benefit from proper healthcare services.
“Imagine taxpayers’ money was spent on that place, and still the people had to take their children to primary school for treatment and vaccines and so,” Singh said. He found it to be “excessively irritating” that a school compound was being used as a clinic.
Singh had said that with the amount of problems plaguing Parika, he is forced to conclude that the regional administration is misusing resources.
“I can’t understand how these people never have the money to do anything. We’re suffering and they don’t care. Something fishy going on, because I can’t see how come we paying taxes and yet nothing ain’t fixing. We the people of this Region aren’t benefiting from anything much,” Singh had said.
He pointed out, “Take for instance the Parika Backdam Road. We fed up making complaints about this thing. I spoke to several people from the regional office, but they haven’t been doing anything. Is only when we highlight certain things then they fix it, otherwise they don’t care at all, he added.”
Following a Kaieteur News article highlighting the deplorable condition of the road, the Ministry of Agriculture said it commenced construction.
However, Deokinanan told this newspaper yesterday that while the Agriculture Ministry officials have visited the road to take samples, works have not yet started.
“Fixed” with just crusher run, the Parika Backdam road has always been a cause for worry, since it would usually deteriorate within a few months, creating a great deal of inconvenience and losses for residents, especially farmers.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The third parties will not survive this year’s elections
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The fate of third parties in this year’s general and regional elections is as predictable... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
