Kitty residents to benefit from more security, major drainage and road works – Pres. Ali

Jan 07, 2024 News

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By Kiana Wilburg

Kaieteur News – Following an early morning roadside meeting on Saturday at Dowding Street, Kitty which culminated in a walk-through of surrounding areas, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali pledged that there would be several transformative changes within one week.

After listening to the concerns of several residents, the Head-of-State committed to ensuring sewage issues are promptly addressed as well as a number of clogged drains and alleyways cleaned.

Ali also assured that there would be imminent road refurbishments and new streetlights installed. Also, part of his commitment was the clearing of overgrown vegetation on derelict plots, thereby removing potential concealment zones for criminal elements.

To address security concerns, he said a containerized police outpost would be placed in the community.

President Ali made the foregoing promises while in the company of Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag; Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Anand Persaud; Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy; Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jnr.; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar; key officials from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and several PPP Councillors.

In his opening remarks Ali said, “The reason we are here today is part of our agenda to ensure that we uplift the lives of people in every community; that we invest in improving the conditions under which you live and addressing directly, the challenges people are facing in the different wards and sections of our city and all across Guyana.”

The Head-of-State said over the last year especially, his government has been focusing on big infrastructure projects to be implemented in the city which would bring massive improvement. He said these include new highways and roads.

“…when the councillors here and ministers campaigned in the Local Government Elections, we promised that we would have a strong and robust community-oriented strategy…The councillors that we have elected are doing an enormous job and they are out there, day and night and that is the type of leadership we want,” he said.

The President also noted the importance of the outreach as a mechanism for involving residents in devising the solutions to their problems.

Upon noting some of the concerns of scores of residents, most of which were about drainage and irrigation woes, the President proceeded on a walkthrough of Dowding Street and other flanking areas.

During the inspection, Ali engaged with residents, gaining direct insight into the numerous drains clogged and teeming with mosquitoes, which appeared undisturbed even under the bright morning light. In several areas, the President also observed drains cluttered with discarded bottles and various plastic debris. Recognizing these issues, Ali promptly directed the NDIA to not only undertake a thorough cleaning of these drains but to also devise a design strategy that effectively prevents the accumulation of waste while maintaining ease of access for necessary cleaning and maintenance.

Speaking to his officials he said, “Tomorrow or Monday, let’s have a meeting with the residents (and explain that) when we are cutting the concrete, let us not break up the concrete; let’s do it in a proper way and then we must also give to them a suggested design. A simple thing I see is being done now is that you dont concrete over the drain. They put a strong enough lip and you put these grills over it and that helps everyone,” he said.

Ali also recommended that when the drains are cleared, a bobcat would be used to grade the shoulder of the drains. He also instructed for the Public Health Ministry to fog the area and for there to be resurfacing of all roads where needed. “We will start that, I would say, in one week,” the President said.

As President Ali continued his walk, he was guided by councillors and residents to the central alleyway in Kitty, which was found to be entirely obstructed due to two primary factors. Firstly, the front section of the alleyway was heavily congested with compacted sand, mud, and even a concrete structure, elements that had been repurposed by an individual for a makeshift ochro plot. Secondly, this portion was succeeded by a dense, overgrown thicket of bushes, further contributing to the alleyway’s impassability. The President was also told that there are 15 alleyways in the area and many of them are either in the same condition or even worse. He instructed his team to have this addressed immediately as it often leads to the yards of many homes being flooded with disease-carrying water.

Apart from addressing drainage and irrigation issues, the President also engaged several youths on the need to be part of gainful employment opportunities.

In this regard Ali said, “I want all of our skills, all our talent and all our people deployed to national development…We want all of you to be registered in a training programme and we will get you employed after that training. We will talk to the companies to give you a stipend whilst we are training you guys.”

For those persons who can do masonry or carpentry he said, “…we need you badly. Right away you can be absorbed in the housing development programme…” Ali assured that a team led by Ministers Ramson and Indar will meet with about 60 young men on Monday to commence the registration process for the skills development programme.

At the conclusion of the outreach, Minister Indar assured desilting works will be completed for all drains and alleyways throughout the area and all other commitments made by the President would be honoured. He said too that the outreach in Kitty would be done in other parts of the country.

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• Dr. Irfaan Ali, Kiana Wilburg, major drainage, President, Security

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