Mustapha reports…
Berbice riverain communities get assurance on their concerns
Guyana Chronicle
November 20, 2003
PEOPLE’S Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP), Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha has said that steps are being taken immediately to address concerns raised by settlers along the banks of Berbice River.
He said he gave them the assurance during a recent outreach to riverain settlements as far as 50 miles south of New Amsterdam, Berbice.
Mustapha said, during the visits, 11 community meetings were held at De Velde, Sand Hills, Kimbia, Ebini, Weroni, Maria/Henrietta, Kalkuni and Ituni, which is on the watershed between Berbice and Demerara rivers.
The MP said the relevant departments have already been made aware of the issues and, so far, favourable responses are forthcoming while necessary mechanisms are being put in place.
According to him, residents of the predominantly farming communities highlighted constraints affecting their socio-economic activities and he undertook to make vigorous representation to the relevant ministries with a view to having their complaints addressed.
Mustapha acknowledged the need for farmers to access firearm licences and secure high quality planting materials from NARI (National Agriculture Research Institute) as well as improved social infrastructure.
Regular and reliable farm to market transport for their produce is another necessity for the farmers in those outlying areas, he pointed out.
He said there were also calls for the Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) Administration to focus on a community improvement plan with a more collective approach to the development process.
Mustapha said follow-up visits are planned for other remote villages next year