By Jared Liddell
Residents of the northern part of the unknown Lust-en-Rust community, in Region Three (Essequibo-West Demerara Islands), will have access to electricity for the first time by Friday.
Deodat Indar, the minister within the Public Works ministry, made this commitment during an outreach on Saturday. The community, according to the minister, has been without electricity since its inception more than ten years ago.
Minister Indar revealed that the necessary infrastructure for electricity distribution was in place for some time but was not powered. According to him, since taking up his post in August 2020, he has received numerous complaints from the residents, which prompted him to mobilize teams from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) to address the situation.
Minister Indar stressed that with the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way all sectors of the world operate, it is particularly important that people have access to electricity during this time. He pointed out that many residents in the area have school-age children who have little access to online learning, because there is no electricity, so there is no way to access fixed Wi-Fi for their On-Line classes line.
‘SAFEGUARDING’
According to Minster Indar, the electricity will provide some protection to the residents, who had expressed fear that thieves and thieves could take advantage of the lack of lights in the community and wreck havoc.
“This is a housing scheme developed under the PPP administration, and many people; thousands of people live here. And seeing our citizens in a COVID environment unable to access any form of electricity and subsequent learning for their children is literally heartbreaking, ”lamented Minister Indar.
Many sections of the community already have access to electricity; he noted that although the process has just begun in the northern part of Lust-en-Rust, the southern and remaining parts of the plan will have access to electricity by January 22, 2021.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Malgre Tout / Meer Zorgen (NDC) Neighborhood Democratic Council, Tennessee Vickerie, said the goods were much needed. ”
“This housing scheme needs electricity; there are many families with children and so live here, and this will help them … For years, this place has been this way; we know right now that the children are at home, and they have to use the internet service. And at the moment, they would be prevented from accessing the internet service, as they would not have electricity to power the Wi-Fi equipment, ”Vickerie reiterated.
He explained that with the area being powered, there will be more development and population growth. Meanwhile, the residents also praised the minister’s intervention to ensure timely relief to an issue that plagued them for years.
Antonett Barry, who lives in the community with her five children, particularly appreciates the initiative. She said that since the pandemic struck in March 2020, her children have “fallen behind” at school, as they do not have access to online learning.
With the community now getting electricity for the first time, she will now be able to get her children actively involved in online classes. Barry also noted that the electricity will benefit residents such as herself who are self-employed, and rely on electricity for their business activities.
“I have a fridge; I sell and make a living, because I’m a single mother of five. It will help me a lot, so I can sell my ice, my icon etc to make a living. And there are others like me who live here and do businesses like this, so we would all benefit now, ”said Barry.