Residents in ‘neglected’ sections of 16 communities to get electricity

Apr 18, 2017 News

Several thousand households are expected to benefit from electricity for the first time in years as government moves to install electrical distribution networks in certain sections of 16 housing schemes across six Administrative Regions.
The beneficiary communities include: Onderneeming in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam); Lust-en-Rust, and Zeelugt in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara); Farm, Covent Garden, Peter’s Hall, Eccles Industrial Park, Perseverance, Paradise, Enmore, Barnwell and Diamond Commercial/Industrial Area in Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica); Hope/Experiment and Balthyock in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice); Kilcoy/Chesney, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne); and Bartica in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni).
According to the State Minister, Joseph Harmon, the previous administration – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – launched several housing initiatives where persons were encouraged to commence building their homes, however there was no necessary infrastructure to support the implementation of utilities.
Harmon noted that contracts have already been awarded to contractors for the procurement of electrical conductors. The procuring entity is the Ministry of Communities.
The Minister said that Lot One of the Project was awarded to contractor, Dynamic Engineering, in the sum of $84.5M and Lot Two, a contract in the sum of $87.1M, awarded to Power Light.
“All of these persons that were allocated house lots, they built their houses there and they’re waiting on electricity. This is good news for them that electricity is on its way.” Harmon said.
The lack of basic utilities is not the only source of concern for persons living in these housing developments. The lack of infrastructure is also a headache for many residents.
There exist areas in several housing developments – despite being opening for years – still without the necessary roads to support the apparent population increase in these villages.
In several parts of the Diamond/Grove Housing Scheme, residents still have to cross precarious makeshift bridges to get access to other areas of the scheme. Some areas are also missing important drainage systems.
Meanwhile, after years of complaining and protests, residents of several communities will also – within a month of the contracts being advertised – benefit from the installation of streetlights.
The areas in which the streetlights will be installed are Diamond, East La Penitence and Cummings Lodge amongst others.
“The Minister of Public Infrastructure is very proactive in these matters (infrastructural matters) and is very aggressive to ensure that these benefits are given to members of the public,” Minister Harmon explained.
The Minister said that the assigned contractors installing the streetlights in the communities will be given a period of time to prepare themselves for the commencement of the works.

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