Residents of Ituni on Wednesday engaged Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and Member of Parliament Sanjeev Datadin as the government continued its Cabinet outreach in Region Ten, placing community priorities at the centre of its development agenda.
The engagement provided residents with a direct platform to identify pressing needs, propose projects and outline their vision for the future of Ituni, with government officials from various ministries and agencies present to hear and document the concerns raised.
Prime Minister Phillips said the outreach reflects the government’s commitment to engaging citizens where they live, rather than relying solely on reports submitted by regional and local officials.
“We want to come out and meet the people from time to time. We want to reach you in the community, listen to you and identify the projects and programmes that you want us to design and deliver to your community,” the prime minister said.
He explained that concerns requiring further intervention will be formally recorded and entered into a government database, which will serve as a practical framework for tracking the community’s development needs and ensuring that issues are followed through.
“That database will become our checklist for development for the community of Ituni,” Prime Minister Phillips said.
The prime minister further emphasised that the government’s broader development objective is to improve livelihoods, expand opportunities and create conditions that encourage Guyanese to build their futures at home.
He said the country’s economic expansion must translate into meaningful improvements for communities across Guyana, including greater opportunities for families and young people.
MP Datadin said the outreach demonstrates the government’s approach to participatory governance, allowing policymakers to gain first hand understanding of the circumstances confronting communities.
“We can’t make those decisions simply sitting at an office in Georgetown. We have to actually hear from the people of the communities, what is required and what is needed,” MP Datadin said.
He noted that while communities may share common aspirations, each has distinct priorities that must be addressed according to the realities experienced by residents.
The Region Ten engagement forms part of a wider Cabinet outreach that has taken senior government officials into communities across the country, including Regions One, Two, Six and Seven and would continue across the country.
The initiative is intended to deepen direct engagement between citizens and policymakers while ensuring that community concerns are translated into measurable development priorities.