Councillors, residents chide second class treatment meted out to outlying communities in Region 10

Residents and regional representatives of the Sub Region Two district of Region 10, are calling for an equal share of the budgetary pie, as is given to Linden. The sub region district consists of communities such as Ituni. Kwakwani, Hururu, Aroaima, Bambo Landing and villages located in the Upper-Berbice River.

It is their claim that less emphasis is placed on the development of these outlying communities particularly in the area of education and infrastructural development.  The situation was raised at the most recent Regional Democratic Council statutory meeting, where councillors expressed their disapproval concerning an administrative decision to not provide the sub region, particularly Kwakwani, with a new vehicle to be used for duties under education.

 Councillors explained that for too long, the sub region, is being treated like a ‘stepchild’ and residents being treated like second class citizen. They alluded to several administrative posts which are not filled in the district such as the post for an Assistant Regional Executive Officer (AREO) and a District Education Officer who should both be resident in the community. It was revealed that since 2018, there is no AREO stationed in Kwakwani.  Residents told INFO 10 that some issues plaguing their communities include deplorable roads and the lack of street lights, poor garbage disposal system, limited internet access, amongst other things.

According to Ituni’s Councillor, Keisha Griffith-McKane, residents are suffering tremendously when there is heavy rainfall. They are forced to make soak- ways since a large part of the soil is clay and the water takes very long in some areas to go away. The Community Development Council (CDC) would have reached out to the Region Democratic Council through Griffith-McKane, for some assistance in establishing a garbage disposal system but was not given a response to the request, she said.

Residents are also calling for the community health centre to be upgraded to provide a more effective health service, particularly during emergencies. They are also calling for a bus to transport students to and from school.

 “In Ituni we have clay and residents would have raised these concerns with several government ministers that would have visited the community both past and present.  They would have suggested that a feasibility study be done to determine if the natural resources we have in our community can be utilised in order to create jobs and they are still waiting,” she said.

At the recent statutory meeting, councillors chided the Department of Education,Region 10, for deciding not to send a new vehicle purchased for the purpose of transporting officers to monitor education delivery in the sub-region, but rather, to send another used vehicle.

The councillors argued that the issue of the sub region being treated as second to Linden must stop and equal representation must be made for the communities.