Hinterland development requires urgent infrastructure development now

Sep 08, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

The President was in Region Nine over the weekend for the Regional Toshoas Conference and he waxed lyrical about turning Guyana’s largest geographical region into the heartland of large-scale agriculture, industrial and commercial development. A quick reminder Mr. President! For this to be done, there must be proper infrastructure in place and at the top of that list are proper roads for the movement of goods and services to and from the capital city. As a true politician, the President was playing to the gallery of course, but you do expect to see his bold pronouncements being backed up by a clear plan of action.
At the time of writing this letter, a truck heading to Lethem from Georgetown is stuck fast in the mud at Aranaputa, in the North Rupununi blocking incoming traffic on both sides. Imagine this! On the 6th day of September, the rains have stopped for almost a month now, yet a truck is stuck on the Lethem–Linden Road. No movement has been made whatsoever by the RDC of Region Nine, or the Ministry of Public Works, to effect repairs to this particular section of road, as well as the one hundred and twenty kilometer stretch from Annai to Lethem, which is in a deplorable state not seen for a number of years now.
Is this how the President intends to turn Region Nine into an industrial and commercial hub?
A planeload of Ministers touched down in Lethem with much fanfare over the weekend. Not one, I assume travelled overland, because they know fully well the state of the road. I am asking someone in authority, be it the President himself, the Honourable Bishop who heads the Ministry of Public Works, or even the REO or Regional Chairman of Region Nine to provide an update on when the road will be fixed. More has to be done and it has to be done with alacrity, lest the much vaunted dream of Region Nine becoming an economic powerhouse turns out to be just that – a dream. It should not be just about talking the talk, but by walking the walk as well. The last government that dilly-dallied and forgot that they were the servants of the people were kicked out after serving only a term. History does have a habit of repeating itself.

Sincerely
S. Fredericks

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