Govt to develop 21 “model communities” across Guyana – Manickchand

Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Priya Manickchand has announced that the Government is in the process of developing 21 model communities across the country that will feature better roads, drainage and irrigation systems and green spaces.

She made this revelation on Thursday last during ‘The Guyana Dialogue’ programme, where she explained that this initiative is being spearheaded by her Ministry is alongside the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Agriculture.

“The model community will have…concrete drains, properly marked roads, streetlights, green areas or play parks, public buildings that are accessible and that work, just what a model community would look like…,” she outlined. According to the Local Government Minister, the Government’s goal is not to just distribute house lots but to develop neighbourhoods where families can thrive.

“Where we develop communities or housing schemes, it’s an entire scheme developed, it’s planned out or drawn by urban planners, people with the appropriate qualifications where green spaces are identified, house lots are surveyed and mapped off, streets and drainage are planned into that housing area, schools areas left for primary as well as nursery schools and if necessary, secondary schools, places left for worship…,” she noted.

“It’s not just the handing out house lots, it’s a very layered approach to making sure people can live in communities, not just houses…it’s building neighbourhoods and communities, understanding that stronger families and stronger communities will give us a stronger country…its very conscious building,” she added. Manickchand explained that there are challenges in implementing these features with existing communities. For instance, she said in Newtown Kitty, Georgetown, “we can fix the drainage, we can clean the alleyways and make them concrete so that the water is flowing but you can’t do much with how its already planned”. The President Dr Irfaan Ali-led administration is, in this term, focusing much energy of building out better communities, where families can thrive.

The Government has been working to improve the functioning of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) and other local authority areas by increasing their subventions so they can deliver better services to residents. Additionally, heavy investments are being made to improve road networks, drainage and irrigation systems and install streetlights and safety features to make communities more welcoming. Millions are also being invested in creating recreational spaces to promote better lifestyles among citizens.