From a modern wharf and a new housing scheme to a state-of-the-art multimillion-dollar water treatment plant, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has been relentlessly transforming Bartica and Region Seven (7), directly contradicting A Partnership for National Unity (APNU )’s tired claims of neglect.
At a poorly attended Saturday rally, APNU’s Prime Ministerial Candidate Juretha Fernandes resorted to empty accusations, declaring, “they didn’t do nothing to help you.” But the evidence tells a radically different story.
Major investments in infrastructure
Over the past five years, the PPP/C Administration channelled billions of dollars into Region Seven. In early 2024 alone, $1.4 billion was invested to upgrade Bartica’s main roads, opening economic opportunities and improving daily life.
Bartica stelling completed
Left abandoned and mismanaged under the previous administration, the stelling’s transformation is now a hallmark of progress. The PPP/C rescued the project and invested $553 million into making it fully operational, equipped with roll-on/roll-off capabilities.
Clean water, at last
After decades of unreliable supply, a new $458 million water treatment plant at Five Miles, now 50 per cent complete, will bring safe, treated water to Bartica, Four and Seven Miles and neighbouring communities.
Housing
More than $2 billion has been invested in housing infrastructure, providing potable water and transforming dreams into reality for over 430 families who received house lots in Bartica since 2020. Just this year, 20 Baritca landowners received steel and cement vouchers through the Ministry of Housing’s home building support, further bringing affordable ownership within reach.
Empowering local businesses
While the opposition scoffs at development, 67 local contractors secured $132.5 million in drainage works, creating jobs, improving flood resilience, and putting money into the pockets of residents.
Supporting the nation’s youth
Contrary to APNU’s unfounded attacks, every child in the region now receives the $50,000 Because We Care cash grant, free textbooks, and nutritious meals through the National School Feeding programme. This deliberate investment has sparked measurable improvements in that Grade Six mathematics scores have surged by 16 per cent.
Young people from Region Seven are among those whose lives are changing through the PPP/C’s flagship Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship, unlocking opportunities once denied to hinterland youth.
Healthcare
After years of neglect, Bartica Regional Hospital is being upgraded to a modern medical facility. A new health centre in Kamarangm will improve access to quality care for residents in isolated communities in the Upper Mazaruni.
Development goes well beyond the present with plans for a new Makouria Creek bridge and the ongoing solar farm turning Bartical into a powerhouse for hinterland development and sustainability.
APNU’s rhetoric is often loud, but their record is empty. The PPP/C’s work is visible, verifiable and is transforming lives.
