guyanatimesgy.com
MonDAY, December 16, 2013
Parental support key...
T
hree sloppy contractors have dogged the Region Six administration’s road works programme this year, Regional Chairman David Armogan said. Speaking during an interview with Berbice Times last week, Armogan said that major road projects are being executed under the Public Works Ministry. The projects were awarded last December, but not executed until the beginning of this year. Works on approximately 92 roads were awarded in blocks, most of which are completed. The chairman said the ones are outstanding are mainly projects given to three contractors whom he feels should not be awarded future works in Berbice. They are Sham Lurick Construction, Dhary Tulsie, and Narendra Latchman. According to the chairman, these three contractors have been a source of frustration for the administration as they dug up the roads and left them in a terrible state, causing more inconvenience to residents. Meanwhile, Armogan said that the administration has completed some 86 per cent of its capital works for the year and is optimistic that it will wrap up the other projects before year-end. He said there are several projects to be closed in another week or so, while there are some that are completed, but contractors are yet to receive payments. Region Six received a budget allocation of $383 million for capital expenditure. Armogan disclosed that the region saw works done in the areas of sports and recreation to the tune of 40 million. Thirty sports grounds in the region were rehabilitated. He noted that his administration places great emphasis on youth development, and as such, with proper working recreational facilities, youth will engage in meaningful activities rather than gambling, smoking or drinking rum.
Grounds upgraded
Among the grounds that were upgraded are Burnham Park; Burmne, Chesney, Letter Kenny, Fryish, Number 79 Village and Canje grounds, Whim Cricket Ground, and Area H Ground. The regional chairman noted that significant strides have been made in the housing sector with the opening of several new housing schemes. He noted one of the major schemes in Berbice is the Kilcoy/Chesney scheme, where recently more than 1500 house lots were allocated. He observed that the overwhelming response has caused the administration to start looking at the second phase of Fort Ordinance and the Number 76 and 77
areas earlier than expected. Armogan pointed out that works have commenced on making better use of the Belvidere Industrial Site. “At the moment, works are being done on pipe laying for water supply as well as streets for access, when completed, electricity and telephone services will be installed.” He is urging the business community to take full advantage of these facilities and get a head start as he predicts with the current rate of development in the region, it would not be long before the sites become fully occupied.
Great opportunity
“Investors have a great opportunity to benefit as most of the basic facilities are being provided beforehand by the administration, all they have to do is invest and set up their factories without having to worry about access, electricity, water, etc,” he said. In the area of health, all health centres across the region were refurbished. Residents of Port Mourant and Angoy’s Avenue also benefited from new health centres. In addition, works were also done on the doctors’ quarters located at New Amsterdam. Armogan disclosed that a total of 30 new doctors were dispatched in the region to further boost the delivery of health care to residents. According to the chairman, major works were done across the region to cater for maintenance and development of drainage and irrigation. At present, all pumps across Region Six are working, and it is well prepared for the upcoming rainy season. At present, Armogan said six small machines are working in six NDCs to ensure that community drains are cleaned and dug. He is appealing to residents to cooperate with the machine operators and not to dump garbage in trenches. In the area of education, Armogan disclosed that rehabilitation works were done on several schools; these include the Lower Corentyne, JC Chandisingh, Black Bush and Skeldon Line Path secondary schools. A new nursery school was built at Albion to cater for the increasing number of students. The chairman noted that previously children were housed at the Albion Sports Complex. A new nursery was also built at Edinburgh, East Bank Berbice. In addition, the dorm that houses students from Orealla was extended. He noted that the numbers of students writing the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations has been increasing and they have been doing well.
Region Six Chairman David Armogan
Last Friday, both top students were honoured by a former New Amsterdam resident who now resides overseas. Satishwar Persaud had made a promise to honour the top students in Region Six. The pair are also the top students for Berbice. At a simple ceremony at the Church View Hotel, Region Six Chairman David Armogan noted that the grades in the region continue to improve. He said that in order to ensure this was sustained, the education department had to take a well-thoughtout decision and dismiss some teachers. “Because over the last 15 years they refused to be
7
from page 6
trained… Today, as more teachers are coming out of the trained system those teachers who are sitting there and didn’t want to upgrade themselves, they now have to make way for these new teachers coming into the system,” he said. The chairman also spoke about the importance of parents in children’s education, saying that there was much emphasis placed on teachers and infrastructure, but the parental role seems to be undervalued. “It is very important that parents play a more meaningful role in the education of their children and that is seen in the results being produced at these schools,” added Armogan.