By: Jayda Jeune | HGP Nightly News |
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand has continued her nationwide series of community governance meetings, reaffirming the government’s commitment to reconnecting with the people who serve communities and strengthening trust and collaboration at the local level.
Over the past week, the Minister met with chairpersons, vice chairs, overseers, and representatives from various Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and support agencies across Region Three, including Windsor Forest and the West Bank of Demerara. These engagements are part of a three-week outreach initiative aimed at meeting with every local government body in Guyana within the next two and a half weeks.
Minister Manickchand emphasized that the initiative is not about formality or photo opportunities, but about re-establishing genuine connections with community leaders.
“We are a team of servants of the people—from Windsor Forest to the furthest end of the West Bank of Demerara. That’s what we are—servants of the people in our communities,” she stated.
She further stressed that every council and committee was elected based on the confidence of its residents, regardless of political affiliation, and that this trust must be honored through integrity, transparency, and teamwork.
“Your job is to re-establish, or if you never had any, establish trust between you and your constituents. They must trust you,” the Minister reminded the gathering.
The sessions also provided a platform for local officials to raise pressing community concerns, including issues related to healthcare delivery, infrastructure, and essential support services.
Minister Manickchand assured that the Ministry would follow up on the matters raised, emphasizing that collaboration between central and local government is vital for improving the delivery of services across Guyana.
The outreach follows successful engagements held in Region Two and the western zones of Region Three, with additional meetings scheduled in the coming weeks to cover the remaining districts nationwide.
