Residents satisfied with AG’s Essequibo coast outreach

Residents along the Essequibo coast are satisfied after having an opportunity to raise longstanding concerns directly with Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, on Thursday.

The outreach, which was held in the communities of Hampton Court and Pomona, drew scores of residents who voiced issues ranging from land disputes to security and agriculture.

In many instances, residents received immediate attention and were assured of follow-up action.

Gaitrie Bharrat shared her experience with the media.

“They took my name and number and promised to address my issue, which is a land dispute between my late husband and his family,” she explained.

Bharrat lauded the government for leading these community outreaches, which allow residents to voice their concerns.

First-year university student Anisa Bissoon also commended the initiative and expressed gratitude for the government’s support in education.

She shared that while her family did not benefit from the cash grant during her primary school years, she is now seeing the impact of the reintroduced programme.

“I’m currently studying economics at the University of Guyana on scholarship, but now it’s free of cost. It’s so good for young people in this country,” Bissoon stated.

During the engagement, Minister Nandlall highlighted several major government investments across key sectors, including education, agriculture, energy and national security.

Education

Reflecting on progress made in the education sector, the attorney general noted that, “When we got into government, our students didn’t have space in secondary schools and primary schools. Today we have universal secondary and primary education, meaning that every child has a guaranteed seat in school,” he said.

Agriculture

Minister Nandlall underscored the government’s efforts to diversify the economy, pointing out that while oil and gas present new opportunities, the country remains deeply reliant on agriculture.

“We’re not focusing solely on oil and gas because that’s an exhaustible resource. We’re investing in agriculture, moving from subsistence and primary production to industrial levels. We aim to process, export on a large scale, and develop the necessary infrastructure such as processing plants and maritime capabilities,” the minister explained.

He further highlighted the government’s success in securing payments for rice farmers through international arbitration.

He explained, “It took us four years to ensure our rice farmers were paid by Panama. We went to an international arbitration centre in Paris, paid nearly US$200,000 in legal fees, and finally secured payment for our farmers.”

Advancing Energy

The minister also pointed to the government’s diversified energy investments aimed at reducing electricity costs and stimulating manufacturing.

“We’re investing in solar, hydro, and natural gas. These steps are crucial to bringing down energy costs and unlocking the potential of Guyana’s manufacturing sector.”

He emphasised the significance of the Wales Gas-to-Energy project, the largest capital undertaking in the Caribbean, central to this energy transformation.

Housing and Infrastructure Development

Minister Nandlall reported significant progress in housing and roadworks, noting that the government has distributed over 45,000 house lots and is upgrading roads in every community.

He said in 2020, only 24 contractors were operating along the Essequibo coast, but now there are over 300.

Security

Addressing public safety, Minister Nandlall acknowledged existing challenges within the Guyana Police Force, but affirmed that reforms are actively being implemented.

“Yes, there is ineptitude, there is inefficiency, there is corruption, I’m not going to defend that. That is in the police force. We are working every day to clean that up,” he stated.

He pointed to advancements in surveillance and crime-fighting capabilities, including the introduction of aerial and marine units, international training programmes, and enhanced intelligence systems.

New tools such as facial recognition CCTV, satellite imaging, and drone surveillance are being deployed to strengthen detection and prevention efforts. Similar community outreaches are being led by ministers countrywide, as part of a broader push to improve service delivery and ensure citizens in every region are heard and supported.