– President Ali says transformation begins with people, not just infrastructure
Residents of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, are set to play a direct role in shaping the future of their community under the government’s Model Village Initiative, following a consultation led by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Thursday at the Good Hope Secondary School.
The consultation forms part of a nationwide programme that places communities at the centre of development by combining modern infrastructure with stronger social responsibility, environmental stewardship and economic opportunity.
Addressing residents, President Ali said the initiative goes far beyond physical development, stressing that the success of a modern community depends on the values and participation of the people who live there.
“We can have a lot of investment in the infrastructure of the community but still we will fail in achieving what a modern community should look like… because the consciousness, the community ownership, the community involvement, the community pride, the community dignity and the community honour are not incorporated into the development model that we want to achieve,” the president said.
The head of state explained that the initiative seeks to create communities that are safe, environmentally responsible and economically vibrant, while preserving culture, strengthening social cohesion and improving residents’ quality of life.
He said every successful community is built around its people and shared values.
“We cannot build model communities if we don’t have safe communities, if we don’t have peaceful communities, if we don’t have communities that our children can live in with pride and joy,” he stated.
During the consultation, Member of Parliament Suresh Singh presented the preliminary development proposals prepared by technical teams following detailed field assessments and mapping exercises.
The presentation outlined plans to improve roads, drainage, community facilities, public spaces, safety infrastructure, emergency systems and environmental management, while identifying key issues requiring intervention.
“Good Hope is part of that first phase,” he told residents while encouraging them to participate in shaping the final development plan through the consultation process.