Over $400 million has been expended for crucial upgrades to date in community grounds in Region Six, East Berbice-Corentyne.
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh made the disclosure following a series of community meetings over the weekend.
He reminded that this undertaken is the fulfillment of a promise made by President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Vice President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, during previous engagements in the region.
“We had undertaken, in the second half of last year, to spend $400 million on upgrading community grounds in Region Six. To date, we have executed in total, works and equipment valued at $478 million,” he said.
According to the minister, this amount funds the first phase. This phase includes landfilling, fencing, construction, repairs to sanitary facilities and regular ground maintenance.
A total of 122 grounds were earmarked for rehabilitation.
During his outreach, the minister visited over 16 communities. He listened to the concerns of the residents.
Twenty tractor-drawn slashers and five tractor-lawnmowers were also handed over to the various Neighbourhood Democratic Councils.
This equipment is expected to bolster maintenance efforts on the community grounds.
“This is not the end. We want every single ground to be upgraded to a point where it is a good quality ground, and the community can make use of it. That is our objective and we will continue to do that work in the weeks and months ahead,” the senior government official assured.
He explained that the government is currently identifying the second phase of interventions for these grounds.
The minister emphasised that the future is bright for Region Six, as several mega projects are underway to boost economic prospects and enhance everyday life.
Projects such as the construction of the Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute at Port Mourant, the Palmyra Stadium, and the expansion of the Corentyne Highway are just several examples of the transformation underway in the region, set to propel Region 6 to become a major hub of economic activity.
“We are doing the big transformative things that will modernise the region, but we’re also making the local village-level investments that matter to people’s day-to-day lives because that is of equal importance,” Dr Singh underlined.
The finance minister reminded each community that the government stands ready to listen and address their concerns, in its dedication to improving the lives of all Guyanese.