17 wells to be completed in Region One this year

Residents of Khan’s Hill and surrounding communities, Region One will soon benefit from improved access to potable water, as work on the new 8-inch well is advancing in the area.

The drilling of the well is being facilitated through the Guyana Water Incorporated

(GWI) programme. The government remains committed to its manifesto promise of providing every household with potable water.

Efforts are being made to expand the service to other areas. Notably, once the well can produce a minimum of 20 cubic metres per hour capacity, the service will be extended to supply Thomas Hill, Mabaruma Settlement, and the township area. This will be a major accomplishment for the government for the water service to be extended to those areas.

This will be the second time an 8-inch well is being drilled in the hinterland region. The first 8-inch well was drilled in Port Kaituma which was extremely successful.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal recently inspected ongoing works at the well site at Khan’s Hill. “We are working steadfastly because, within two years, it is expected that the entire Region One must be 100 per cent coverage. I can also assure you for the Mabaruma municipality zone, we will achieve by the end of this year, 100 per cent coverage for everyone including Hobo Hill,” Minister Croal empha- sised.

This, he said, has resulted in a significant increase in hinterland coverage to 75 per cent by the end of 2022.

“By the time we are finished this year, we will move the coverage of the hinterland to 89 per cent. 100 per cent access of water services to all riverine and hinterland communities are targeted and must be achieved by 2025,” the minister underlined.

As part of its target for Region One, approximately 17 wells will be completed in 2023, and some $250 million is budgeted to execute the construction of these wells.

Among the areas to ben- visit to the area, also noted that the Ministry has exhausted all efforts, even as the Ministry continues to plea with persons illegally occupying lands in the area to remove. efit from the drilling of new wells include Manawarin, Waramuri, Haimakabra, Kamwatta, Koko, Parakeeis, Cabora, Karaburi, Wallaba, and Santa Rosa.

The Agency is reminding persons that squatting is illegal and to desist from erecting structures in the area, as the continuation of such activities will leave the agency with no other alternative but to demolish these structures.

Additionally, new wells will be drilled in White Water, Yarakita, Kamwatta, Black Water Savannah, and Wauna in the Mabaruma sub-district.

The government has invested more than $2 billion in hinterland communities. Some $1.4 billion will be spent this year to increase access to clean, safe water in hinterland communities in Regions One, Two, Seven, Eight, and Nine. Some $17.7 billion was allocated in this year’s budget to expand water systems and management.

Construction of regional hospitals progressing smoothly – Anthony

Guyanese can expect to see construction commencing soon on the five new regional hospitals with land preparation complete at each of the sites.

As part of its efforts to increase access to quality healthcare, the government will be constructing worldclass hospitals in Anna Regina, Region Two; De Kinderen, Region Three; Bath, Region Five; Number 75 Village, Region Six; and one at Diamond and another at Enmore in Region Four.

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, while providing an update on these facilities recently, disclosed that the site development for all facilities has been completed. “The contractor has taken over several of the sites and very shortly, we’ll start seeing work being started at each of these sites. A lot of progress has been made. The designs are almost complete. So, we’ll start seeing construction in a short period,” the health minister stated.

Each of the world-class hospitals will be 65,000 square feet and will be equipped with 75 hospital beds. When completed, patients will no longer have to travel to the Georgetown Public Hospital to receive medical care, but can be assured of quality care while in their own region.

Meanwhile, progress is also being made on the $12.4 billion state-of-the-art Pediatric and Maternal Hospital that will be constructed at Ogle, by Australian company – VAMED.

“We’ve also started work on the Maternal and Child Health Hospital that is going to be at Ogle and later this month, we’re expecting that the piling for the foundation would start,” Minister Anthony relayed.

The facility is expected to be commissioned by 2025 and will be equipped with 256 beds.

This forms part of the President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali-led government’s vision of creating a modern healthcare system for its citizens. In Budget 2023, the government allocated $84.9 billion to catapult the health sector.