‘Region 7 still waiting for basic services despite trillions in spending’

Jun 03, 2026 News

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— Opposition Leader demands urgent action

(Kaieteur News) – Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed, is calling on the PPP/C Government to urgently address the longstanding challenges facing residents of Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), including inadequate access to water and electricity, deteriorating schools and health facilities, and poor infrastructure.

Mohamed’s call comes as President Irfaan Ali leads a two-day Cabinet outreach in the region. The WIN Party Leader said he hopes the visit results in tangible solutions rather than what he described as a routine public relations exercise.

In a video statement on Monday, Mohamed challenged the government to move beyond listening to residents’ concerns and take immediate action to resolve them.

“Vice President Jagdeo, I noticed you sent your entire Cabinet to Region Seven for the usual show—more for optics than solving the problems that have been affecting people for years, even decades,” Mohamed said.

Mohamed noted that on his own he went to the region and visited the communities earlier this year, where he highlighted the challenges, people are facing and yet these are not being addressed. “I have highlighted so many concerns of the different villages in Region Seven, and yet the problems aren’t addressed. The cost for your Cabinet to tour the entire Region Seven. Oh, my, trust me, it’s about tens of millions of dollars off the backs of taxpayers while I traveled to most parts of Region Seven, the cost probably is not even more than a million dollars. What I am doing, what one man did, your entire cabinet is doing presently,” he noted, speaking directly to Jagdeo.

Highlighting some of these issues again, Mohamed said in the Middle Mazaruni at Isseneru Village, there are issues with airfare prices remaining high, residents not getting access to their own lands, while foreigners can have access with no hassle.

“Pensioners are forced to travel to Bartica to collect pensions as no visits have been made by social services to make pension payouts for the year, and the travel cost to Bartica and back is like one month’s money, about $40,000,” he explained.

He stated that despite billions spent on two wells, many residents still lack reliable access to water due to poor functioning and the lack of electricity. Not only are the roads in the community deplorable, he also said urgent need for a new primary school as the current school cannot adequately accommodate students.

At Kangaruma Village, he disclosed there are not only issues with water and electricity, but residents’ “private lands are being converted to mining areas without approval or consultation with villages or the village council.”

In terms of education, he said the school building is deteriorating with walls cracking, teachers are forced to live in inhumane conditions, and there is a call for a proper school boat with shed.

Among other issues, he noted that “many villagers still do not have birth certificates. This is a major concern for children who sit in the Grade Six and CSEC examinations, despite applying for documentation for years. So, our children cannot write the exams. This is unbelievable.”

Visiting Tasserene and Issano Village, the Opposition Leader highlighted that the water supply system for the St. Martin’s Primary School is non- functional and parents are currently forced to fetch buckets of water for sanitary use and the school’s kitchen. Additionally, he mentioned that there is an urgent need for a dedicated boat and engine to transport teachers and students living along the riverbank and residents highlighted a dire need for a new road linking Tasserene to Issano, as the current one is unfit.

“Residents complained of a lack of accountability regarding village finances and assets under the current Toshao, including the LCDs funds,” he pointed out.

Moving on to Wineperu Village, the opposition leader said residents mentioned to him that no senior government official would visit them.

“Pensioners are facing extreme stress as they only receive payments every three months, and many are forced to pay $30,000 just for transportation to collect their money,” he noted.

Notably, he said that at Kaburi Village, the school solar system is currently damaged, leaving the facility without electricity, which results in inadequate lighting in classrooms. “Money needed to prepare meals for the school feeding programme is very late. Snake bites are rampant, and there is a need for snake bite kits in the health centre, bat infestation in the school compound and in the school poses serious health and safety risks. “There is no water supply to the washrooms. Basic sanitation items, such as buckets and pans, are unavailable,” he explained.

Mohamed, in his statement, stated that similar issues are also affecting residents at Itaballi, Kartabo, Agatash, Dagg Point, Sakaralla Bay, Karrau, Mora Camp and Bartica where he visited back in April and May.

As he calls for these problems to be addressed immediately, the political leader stated that from 2020 to 2026, the government has budgets totalling GY$6 trillion and yet people are facing these problems.

“I’m calling on you to ensure that you can make the people of Bartica and the entire Region Seven live a comfortable and a better life. Please ensure we have the monies available, $6 trillion budgeted from 2020 to 2026 unprecedented, never in the history. Our country is the fastest growing economy, yet water and electricity are problems,” Mohamed said.

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• Azruddin Mohamed, basic services, trillions in spending, water and electricity

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