HGP Nightly News – President Irfaan Ali says the government’s recent outreach in Region Seven has shown a shift in the concerns being raised by residents, with many communities now placing stronger emphasis on agriculture, production and economic support.
Speaking during the outreach exercise, the President said ministers and government teams entered the region with an understanding of the challenges facing communities, since many of those issues had already been gathered through previous visits and requests from villages.
According to Ali, the exercise covered 44 villages, with several government teams deployed across the region.
He said the outreach recorded a relatively small number of individual complaints, which he suggested was evidence that previous interventions in communities were beginning to take effect.
The President said that, based on the feedback received, the leading priority in many villages is now support for agriculture and production.
He said that development was important because it showed that residents were not only asking for basic services, but were also seeking help to expand farming, food production and community-based economic activity.
Ali said this shift reflects the government’s policy direction, which is aimed at helping hinterland communities become more productive and self-sufficient.
He pointed to examples of residents who have been able to expand small farming operations with government support.
Referring to one farmer in Batavia, the President said the man told him he started with one pig and later expanded to 20 pigs, along with ducks, chickens and other livestock.
According to Ali, those are the kinds of stories the government wants to see coming out of hinterland communities.
The President also highlighted progress in basic services, including water and electricity.
He said some communities that previously never had access to water now have wells and overhead storage systems, while the next step is to extend those services to every household.
Ali also pointed to solar systems and battery storage in communities, saying these improvements should be recognised as part of the wider development taking place in the region.
The President also announced that government will invest in equipment to support road and infrastructure maintenance in Bartica and surrounding areas.
He said the investment will include equipment such as graders, rollers and excavators, which will be used to create a stronger maintenance programme in the region.
According to Ali, the programme will involve central government, local authorities, the private sector and other stakeholders.
He said the aim is to ensure that the region has equipment available locally, rather than depending only on outside contractors or delayed interventions when roads and other infrastructure need attention.
Ali said the government wants to empower communities and regional authorities to better manage maintenance works, especially in areas affected by weather and difficult terrain.
The President said he was pleased with the changes taking place in several Region Seven communities, adding that the outreach was intended to listen, respond and continue building on development already underway.
