Caledonia/Good Success group brimming with confidence — says will whip PPP, APNU+AFC at LGE polls

By Shauna Jemmott, February 22, 2016, http://guyanachronicle.com/cal...pnuafc-at-lge-polls/

Members of the Community for Change and Development proudly behind their banner

THE Community for Change and Development (CCD), a group consisting of individuals within the Caledonia/ Good Success Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), has declared its intention to target societal ills and infrastructural mismanagement within the Caledonia/Good Success District.The group contesting the Local Government Elections (LGE) on March 18 is confident of victory over major political parties at the upcoming polls.
The CCD group was launched last Wednesday morning and is set to take control of the East Bank Demerara communities which fall under the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC).
The coalition union has been formed to battle against the social and infrastructural downfall of the area and is seeking the support of all citizens to vote them in as councillors for the NDC.
Member of the group, Samuel Carter told the Guyana Chronicle that the CCD is non-discriminatory and consists of persons who support various political parties who have come together in mutual understanding that previous NDC administrations have failed the communities which deserve better.
“Our goal is to improve our communities and environment by improving communications with the NDC in consultation with our communities; ensuring adequate security and street lighting; developing better educational and recreational facilities for our children and youths; providing better garbage collection and waste disposal services; cleaning waterways currently choked with garbage and overgrown with weeds; improving and maintaining our roads; and eliminating substandard work carried out by the NDC.”
CCD MEMBERS
The members of the CCD group who are contesting the various constituencies within the district are Samuel Marvin Carter for Land of Canaan; Leon Bowlin for Sarah Johanna-Caledonia; Ethel McCaskey for Relief-Brickery; Harbhajan Shivcharran for Garden of Eden; Doreen Scipio for Friendship South; Keavon Urbane Bess for New Hope; Collin Weeks for Good Success; and Wellesley Davis for Craig.
They are seeking the support of their community in order to become the councillors of the Caledonia/Good Success NDC, and pledged to serve with “zeal and honesty and to manage the affairs of the community without political consideration”.
SHIELD
The sign of the CCD group is the shield and they are contesting on the First-Past-The-Post section of the ballot, for change and development, Carter said.
Carter told Chronicle that a cross-party approach had been considered in forming the group drawing on supporters of both of the main parties in the National Assembly (APNU+AFC and PPP/Civic).
“It’s the best way that we can all work together… that’s what community means, because in a community you have residents with varying ideas, varying point of views and various ethnicities.”
According to Carter, there was neglect of communities by Government and the NDC for years, with the absence of the LGE.
“In the past, especially in that area, you only have to travel up the East Bank and just look at the areas and how the side roads are looked after, you’d know which areas are PPP areas and which areas are not.”
He said that together the group members have identified issues affecting the neighbourhood district in which the past NDC was neglectful.
“We would have identified issues that the last NDC should have been dealing with but they haven’t been dealing with them. The residents in the nine constituencies almost without exception are fed up! They want a change.”
Their funds come from their own pockets and donations from local businesses and residents.
CAMPAIGN ISSUES
He said they are campaigning for more street lights since the communities all have inadequate street lights, and as a result, crime is prevalent at nights.
He said the removal of the vehicles from the neighbourhood policing groups have added to the problem since the police on patrol are not regularly seen in the communities.
The area lacks adequate health facilities and classrooms in schools are cramped and dowdy, making them not conducive for learning.
He also said that though rates and taxes are being paid, residents still have to pay for garbage collection and the drains are hardly cleared. Now that the LGE is approaching, the man said the current NDC is trying to clean the trenches, which were last cleared through a Region 4 Regional Democratic Council contract around mid-2015. There are nine constituencies in the area.