Over 4,000 people residing in the Mocha Arcadia community, East Bank Demerara (EBD), will soon benefit from major infrastructural development, as the Barnwell North access road is opened for tender.
This was disclosed by Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag, during a meeting with residents at the Mocha Arcadia Community Center, on Tuesday. Minister Parag was accompanied by Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha.
“The government in its commitment to helping you has placed that particular road open for tender to be able to get that road done for you. That will heavily impact your daily lives in terms of not only going to school, but also to the farming communities down at the back.”
Minister Parag, who also has parliamentary oversight for the area, noted that Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training is also in the pipeline for residents there.
She also utilised the platform to encourage residents to form themselves into small groups and organisations, where they can benefit from free training initiatives being offered by government.
The minister noted that before the PPP/C Government took office in August 2022, the community hardly had the chance to interact with government officials at the ministerial level.
“We are working towards a ‘One Guyana’; we are working towards leaving no one behind. Everyone in the community matters, and that is why we are here this afternoon to listen to you,” she emphasised.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration has ensured that the Mocha Arcadia community receives substantial support in many areas, including agriculture and education.
Approximately 153 persons who were impacted by the 2021 May/June flood, received flood assistance from government while several persons are recipients of the Guyana Online Academy for Learning (GOAL) scholarships.
Additionally, the administration, through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has taken the Women Investment and Innovation Network (WIIN) programme to the residents.
A number of residents have since applauded the all-female initiative, noting that it will empower and render relief to the members of the community. To date, about 110 women of Mocha have registered for the WIIN programme, while 72 persons have already completed the WIIN business workshop.
Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha said like every other community across the country, Mocha is not left out of the administration’s transformational agenda.
“Our job as the government is to go all over the country…we want to ensure the entire country benefit from the resources we have,” Minister Mustapha noted.
He said every community has to work in unison and join the government in its aggressive move towards ensuring food is secured for the nation.
“Do not let people come and divide you,” the minister urged.
He explained that the war in Ukraine is preventing grain from leaving the country, and is causing an increase in food prices across the globe.
According to the minister, the situation is threatening to worsen shortages, hunger, and instability in developing, and even small countries.
“But as a government, we are not throwing in our towel and saying there is a shortage of wheat and other commodities…We are trying to go into new crops. As a country we are not sitting down,” Minister Mustapha noted.
He also outlined the collective plans Guyana and Brazil have to develop the wheat industry in both countries.
Following the consultations with residents, the ministry instructed technical officers to revisit the community within one week to carry out several assessments.
The valuation will be done in a number of areas including livestock and drainage and irrigation.“We came to listen and help,” both ministers emphasised separately while addressing the packed auditorium.
