President Irfaan Ali and the Chairman of Mocha Arcadia Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Rudolph Adams clashed on Sunday as the President visited the community for the commissioning of a $59 million rehabilitated road and to sign contracts for other roads in the community.
The Chairman of the NDC, Rudolph Adams while applauding the move by the Government to rehabilitate the main thoroughfare, said while the NDC is committed to engaging the Government and its Ministers, it is often times not informed when visits are conducted.
He also complained that the Mocha Arcadia NDC did not benefit from the $4M grant from the Government that was issued to 17 other NDCs in the Region by the Local Government Ministry for community works.
The Chairman pointed out that four NDCs in the Region were not given the grant, including Mocha, and all of those NDCs are Opposition controlled NDCs.
“These four NDCs that I am speaking about are controlled by the coalition of which Mocha is part of,” Mr. Adams said.
The President did not take kind to the Chairman’s revelations and responded that “it is an insult for you to tell these people that their lives is controlled by the coalition. No one’s life is controlled by anyone but God. Take that, and take it to the bank and bank it.”
Meanwhile, describing himself as the chief servant, President Ali said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration remains committed to the people of Guyana, and will continue to foster development throughout the country.
He said the Government remains committed to building a unified Guyana amid accusations by the Opposition that his Administration has marginalized and victimized key sections of the population because of their perceived political persuasion.
The President explained that the multimillion-dollar road project is testimony of the Government’s commitment to the people of Mocha Arcadia and further afield.
“Development must be able to add value to your life. The road out there is something physical. But what we don’t understand is that the road has brought value to every single home in this community. It has increased the net value of your homes in this community,” President Ali told the residents of Mocha Arcadia on Sunday.
Noting that the Government is expending close to $200M to reconstruct roads in the community, President Ali said Mocha Arcadia would be a key link between Silica City and the country’s capital – Georgetown as the PPP/C Administration transforms the East Bank and East Coast corridors.
“This is what infrastructure transformation beings. It brings an improvement in the net worth of the community; it brings an improvement in the net worth of properties. And when that happens, it takes up your net value. So, what we’re doing is adding value, building capacity, bringing hope, and developing pride,” the President said.
He said it important for Guyanese to embrace the development that is unfolding across the country and capitalize on existing opportunities.
“We must not lock ourselves out of these opportunities by subjecting ourselves to narrow thinking. I am not here to tell you that I want all of you here to vote for the PPP; all I am here is to tell you that I want all of you to benefit from the PPP in Government. So, I don’t know what was this whole thing about boycotting the meeting, and not coming to the President’s meeting; it’s nonsense.”
Positing that there is a time and season for everything, President Ali said now is the time for development.
Meanwhile, the residents, while applauding the Government for upgrading Burnham Boulevard, capitalized on the opportunity to lobby for the Land Titles and Transports and for other infrastructural work to be done within the community.
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