Georgetown : Even as the multi-disciplinary Task Force to restore Guyana as a land of great attractiveness and prosperity is set to complete its regional outreaches, it has already began receiving proposals from several municipalities and regions for enhancement projects, for implementation in Phase One of the programme.
This is according to Head of the National Task Force Secretariat for “Project Restore Guyana” Dr. Sewnauth Punalall.
The Secretariat Head said the Task Force is set to wrap-up the regional outreach as soon as tomorrow. According to Dr. Punallall, the National Taskforce is today engaged in its final visit, in Mabaruma, Region One.
Prior to visiting Region One, a team headed by Major General (Ret’d), Joseph Singh, on September 29, visited Region Seven and met with more than 30 persons in a meeting held in the boardroom of the Bartica hospital. According to the Secretariat Head, issues such as the need for a new landfill site, proper roads and improved water supply and problems affects small miners were raised. Stressed as well was the need for the regional administration to put in place the necessary services and space critical for creating a township, a status that Bartica is set to attain in May 2016.
The Task Force would have completed visits to the other regions in the months of August and September.
Cabinet approved the establishment of the multi-disciplinary Task Force, which includes representatives from the business sector, professional organisations and members of civil society, to aid with the transformation of Guyana under the new Government. This was in response to the sustained call from the citizenry for a cleaner, safer and more sustainable environment.
The regional visits have been to inform the regions and regional administration of the various areas of responsibility which have to be dealt with by the Taskforce, under “Project Restore Guyana,” and which have be executed by the various regions.
These responsibilities are in regard with national drainage, solid waste management and the removal of derelict vehicles, traffic management, sustainable countrywide renewal, welfare management of the homeless addicted and the mentally challenged.
The Task Force has had committees set up along these lines, headed by senior government officials, the exception being the Public and Stakeholders Consultation Committee, which comprises community representative.
Project Restore Guyana is being rolled out in three phases, the first phase which immediately follows the regional outreaches, will go until May 2016, and will address critical interventions within the regions, as submitted by proposals from the regional administrations. Dr. Punalall explained that whatever is captured in these proposals that are not executed in Phase One will be executed in Phase Two (which goes until 2017) or Phase Three (which goes until 2020).
Thus far, the Task Force has received information from the municipalities of Corriverton, Rose Hall, New Amsterdam and from the Regional Democratic Councils of Regions Five and Six on projects and interventions that they are seeking to have implemented in their communities and regions under Project Restore Guyana, Dr. Punalall said.
He advised that projects that will be implemented in Phase One will be selected based on three criteria; critical to human lives, the environment and the economy.
