HUNDREDS of residents on the Essequibo Coast on Tuesday benefited from direct government interventions as Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo spearheaded a large-scale Cabinet outreach in Region Two aimed at resolving long-standing community concerns relating to housing, pensions, agriculture, land disputes, cash grants and access to small government contracts.
The outreach brought together senior officials and technical teams from several ministries and state agencies, including the Ministries of Agriculture, Housing and Finance, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), allowing residents to engage directly with decision-makers and receive immediate assistance.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Jagdeo encouraged residents first to approach the technical officers present at the venue to resolve matters more efficiently before escalating issues directly to him.
A key announcement during the outreach focused on housing development in Region Two, with the Vice-President revealing that nearly 4,000 house lots are currently under development on the Essequibo Coast as part of the government’s continued housing expansion programme.
Land and boundary disputes, which have long affected residents in several communities, also featured prominently in the engagement. Dr Jagdeo acknowledged that many complaints stemmed from disagreements between neighbours over property boundaries, leases and ownership.
He urged affected residents to utilise the presence of senior GLSC officials to obtain clarity and formal responses on unresolved land matters.
The Vice-President also addressed concerns about pensions and other NIS-related matters, informing residents that a full delegation from the agency, including its senior leadership, had travelled to Region Two to assist residents with outstanding issues.
According to Dr Jagdeo, residents experiencing challenges with pensions, contributions, or benefits would have the opportunity to receive direct guidance or have their concerns addressed on the spot.
Issues related to government cash grants were likewise addressed during the outreach, with officers assigned to assist residents seeking clarification or support.
Meanwhile, Dr Jagdeo disclosed that approximately 12,000 persons across Guyana have already been pre-qualified for small government contracts through an online registration process conducted over the past three months.
He explained that the government is currently reviewing and refining the list to remove instances in which multiple members of the same household register separate companies, warning that such practices could create the perception of unfairness and political favouritism.
The Vice-President confirmed that the first batch of contracts has already been awarded from the pre-qualified pool and assured those who were unsuccessful in the initial round that further opportunities would become available throughout the remainder of the year.
He stressed that those who completed the pre-qualification process would continue to have opportunities to secure contracts in future rounds.
However, Dr Jagdeo cautioned that individuals who failed to register for the current pre-qualification exercise would have to wait until the next national application period, when the process reopens.
He clarified that the pre-qualification system applies mainly to small contractors, while larger contractors remain free to tender for projects at any time without needing prior pre-qualification.
During the interactive sessions, Dr Jagdeo also implemented a priority system to ensure that elderly residents, women with children and other vulnerable people were attended to first by ministers and technical officers, thereby improving access and reducing waiting times during the large public engagement.