Residents and Amerindian leaders from several hinterland and riverine communities in Region Two raised concerns ranging from education and housing to roads, telecommunications, healthcare and youth development during a government outreach led by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Cabinet ministers on Tuesday at Anna Regina.
The majority of the issues highlighted were resolved immediately while some were given assurance that they will be resolved soonest.
One of the issues highlighted were challenges faced by children in accessing secondary and tertiary education, particularly in remote villages where students travel long distances or stay in dormitories to attend school.
In response, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said the government must pursue sustainable solutions and suggested examining the possibility of grouping communities together to improve access to secondary education. He also acknowledged concerns surrounding dormitory conditions and noted that repairs are already underway.
Further a broader vision for Amerindian development, was highlighted, with emphasis on employment creation and access to free university education.
Village leaders were urged to identify residents interested in tertiary education with assurance given that remedial education support would be provided where necessary.
“We need every home visited. We need to know who wants to study and who can access free university education,” the VP said.
He explained that, “If we are repairing the dorm, it means that we recognise there is a problem there and we have to fix it for the children”.
Residents also raised concerns over limited internet and mobile connectivity in remote villages, noting that communication signals are only available in isolated spots.
While he acknowledged that there are issues with internet access, and even shared a personal experience, he noted that the issues had already been discussed with Prime Minister Mark Phillips.
He indicated that the government would continue engaging telecommunications providers to improve services in the hinterland.
Several village leaders also requested assistance with internal roads and transportation infrastructure.
One leader explained that approximately 15 kilometers of internal roads linking communities require upgrades.
Another representative from Tapakuma highlighted the need for an all-weather access road after residents experienced severe disruptions due to mining activity and poor road conditions during periods of rainfall.
It was proposed that a model where villages themselves could be contracted to undertake road works using equipment already available in communities through government support initiatives should be perused.
“So let’s think about contracting the village to do the internal roads,” Vice President Jagdeo said while encouraging the use of laterite materials already available in the communities.
Residents also highlighted poor quality of works recently completed infrastructure projects, including schools and health facilities, and the vice president instructed that “If it’s shoddy, then the people have to come back and fix it,” while noting that some projects may still Accreditationfall within the defect’s liability period.
Housing also emerged as a major issue during the outreach, with residents proposing systems that would allow government workers in hinterland communities to access housing assistance through salary deductions.
The vice president described the idea as “not a bad idea at all” and said the government should explore mechanisms to support improved housing in Amerindian communities, particularly for low-income households.
Concerns surrounding policing and security in remote villages were also raised, and was rectified with employing a community policing programme into hinterland villages by training and employing residents directly within their communities.
The VP also highlighted the much anticipated zero-interest loans of up to $3 million through the development bank to assist citizens, including those in Amerindian communities, to start small businesses without collateral requirements, as he strongly encouraged them to apply.
Moreover, the vice president emphasised that the government’s focus over the next five years would be ensuring that Amerindian communities enjoy the same opportunities and level of development as communities along the coast.