Region Ten officials consulted on projects by Govt

As Government rolls-out specific programmes aimed at ensuring development directly reaches the residents there, they said that they are actively consulting with officials in Region 10.

Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall in a media related interview on Monday made the disclosure.

Dharamlall labelled assertions by officials in Region 10 that they are not consulted on development projects as ‘outrageous.’

The minister refuted the misleading claims, noting that the Government has invited regional officials to meetings on multiple occasions.

“I personally spoke to the regional chair as well as the mayoress to come to the meetings. The regional chair came once, the mayoress never came to any of our meetings hosted by the President and the Vice President, so for them to claim that they are not being consulted I think is utterly outrageous,” he said.

The minister pointed that government has always consulted with all municipalities as well as Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC).

He disclosed that each year, municipalities are expected to submit their work programme to central government.

The minister said to this end, he met with the members of the Linden municipality three times since becoming minister, to address the “most mundane things they have been requesting as part of their development for example buying a mini-bus to transport security”.

Dharamlall stressed that resources should be used to rollout development work within the township to foster economic growth.

Meanwhile, the minister warned the town council for its failure to collect rates and taxes.

“They collected less than 50 percent and so a lot of the resources that they have as well go towards paying staff and they are not able to do the heavy lifting,” he said.

Dharamlall recommitted to ensuring all Guyanese benefit from Guyana’s resources despite their colour, creed or political affiliation.

He added that government will do the ‘heavy lifting’ to champion this cause leading Guyana once again into a prosperous future.