Following a community engagement Wednesday evening, Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture Vikash Ramkissoon has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing community concerns and ensuring continued follow-up on issues affecting residents of Noitgedacht, Canal No. 1, West Bank Demerara.
The minister, accompanied by GuySuco CEO Paul Cheong and Commander Khali Pareshram, met with residents and representatives from several government agencies to discuss outstanding concerns relating to drainage, roads, water, street lighting, public safety and community development.
Minister Ramkissoon assured residents that the issues raised would be reviewed by the relevant agencies, with the aim of providing relief and ensuring continued engagement with the community.
“We will go back, dissect the issues that we have, and we will try to bring relief to you,” the minister said.
The minister emphasised that community engagement remains an important part of the government’s approach to development, noting that residents must be involved in identifying the challenges affecting their communities.
“Policies can only be formulated with an understanding of the challenges and the issues that you face,” Minister Ramkissoon stated.
Moreover, the minister underscored that the government remains accessible to residents and committed to ensuring that development initiatives respond to their needs.
“Everything that we do, it is centred around the people,” minister said.
Minister Ramkissioon also addressed concerns relating to agricultural land clearing, urging farmers to ensure that lands cleared through government-supported initiatives are used for productive purposes.
The agriculture minster explained that the resources allocated to land clearing are intended to support agricultural production and contribute to the continued development of the sector.
“We cannot reutilise resources for people who will not utilise it for productive purposes,” Minister Ramkissoon said, emphasising the importance of making productive use of cleared lands.
During the engagement, residents also raised concerns about the use of community spaces, public safety, road conditions and the need for improved infrastructure.
Minister Ramkissoon assured residents that the relevant agencies would continue working with them to address the issues raised, reiterating that the government remains committed to maintaining dialogue and following up on community concerns.
The engagement brought together representatives from the Guyana Police Force, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and the Ministry of Public Works to hear residents’ concerns and identify possible solutions.