Co-Chair of the committee, Government representative, Ms. Philomena Sahoye-Shury, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the project will get under way as soon as a price can be agreed between the committee and the power company, Guyana Power & Light (GPL), for putting up utility poles in the areas.

Residents told GINA Thursday that GPL officials had already visited the areas and done their assessments.

Chairman of Southern De Kinderen Squatting Area, Mr. Charles Lamazon, told the agency, "Some people may not be pleased with the pace at which the project is progressing."

But he noted, "Everything takes time and has to be done in accordance with procedures and we have to wait until each stage is completed before we see results."

GINA reported that most of the residents with whom it spoke said electricity in the area will go a long way in enhancing not only their lives but also those of their children.

One woman was quoted as saying that bottle lamps and battery-powered lanterns were inadequate sources of light for her children to study.

The Depressed Community Needs Committee was one of six such groups established following the second meeting on April 25, 2001 between Opposition People's National Congress Reform (PNC/R) leader, Mr Desmond Hoyte, and President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Following its constitution, the nine-member committee, which has as its other co-chair, PNC/R parliamentarian, Mr. Andy Gouveia, held meetings countrywide with community leaders, residents, religious organisations, and Regional Democratic Councils to identify areas in which work could be done to eradicate the level of poverty.

Communities identified by the committee as being in need of assistance, GINA said, are Met-en-Meerzorg and De Kinderen in Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands); and the East Coast Demerara villages of Buxton and Enterprise/Non Pariel which fall under the purview of the populous Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica).

In the case of De Kinderen, GINA said, it was the residents themselves who chose to have their communities electrified.

The agency said some residents reported that they were told at a community meeting with the committee, that once the posts are put up and power lines run, they would have to `wire' their houses and take the certification and receipt of payment for the house lot, along with other relevant documents, to the GPL head office in Georgetown.

"Subsequently, an officer will visit the community to verify that the wiring process has been completed and the residents will then be required to pay for the electricity meters", GINA said.

Residents are required to pay about $70,000 for their house lots and a fee of about $5,000 for the electricity meter, it said.

The agency said the residents were high in their praise of the cooperation by the Government and the PNC/R through the dialogue process out of which the programme evolved.

Many felt that the dialogue process should continue so that similar communities can have a better chance at eradicating poverty, GINA said.