The government plans to install 53 additional fire hydrants and 90 CCTV cameras in Anna Regina, Region Two, as part of a comprehensive package of infrastructure and community upgrades under the Model Village Initiative.
The proposals were presented during an engagement led by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali with residents at the Anna Regina Secondary School on Monday.
The planned interventions aim to create a safer, more accessible, environmentally sustainable, and resilient community, with improvements spanning drainage, roads, pedestrian access, public spaces, utilities, lighting, fire safety, and security.
The presentation outlined that Anna Regina currently has eight fire hydrants, with a further 53 proposed at strategic locations throughout the community.
The additional hydrants are intended to improve fire response and emergency preparedness, increase safety for residents, businesses and visitors, support infrastructure planning and strengthen the community’s resilience.
The government is also proposing a significant expansion of CCTV coverage. While three cameras currently exist in the community, 90 additional cameras are proposed at strategic locations to strengthen public safety and deter criminal activity.
The infrastructure package also includes the construction and improvement of roads, bridges, utility poles and street lighting, as well as 5,565 metres of walkways and appropriate road shoulders to improve pedestrian movement.
The plan also includes landscaping, tree planting, road demarcation and the development of green spaces and parks. Approximately 4.7 acres have been identified for green spaces and parks intended to provide protected areas for recreation, community wellbeing and a more sustainable future.
The comprehensive package is also intended to remove encumbrances from road reserves, drains and available public reserves, while improving access and the overall appearance and functionality of the community.
President Ali said the government’s vision is to ensure development is experienced directly by residents in their communities.
“We want to invest in agro-processing; we want to invest in value creation. The region is already becoming a major supplier of tourism products, and we have to continue to build the tourism potential and tourism infrastructure for this region,” President Ali said.
He also highlighted the potential for sports and tourism to work together, with improved recreational facilities creating additional activities for residents and visitors.
The Anna Regina engagement forms part of the government’s wider Model Village Initiative, which seeks to deliver coordinated infrastructure and community improvements to build safer, more sustainable and resilient communities across Guyana.