Diamond residents bemoan lack of proper roads for eight years

May 09, 2017 News, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....ads-for-eight-years/

Some residents of Diamond are exasperated over the deplorable state of roads they are forced to traverse to access and leave their homes on a daily basis. For some, this state of affairs has existed for a number of years with no change in sight.
One section of Fifth Avenue Diamond has never had an asphalted road. At present this particular street is riddled with potholes, which collect water causing the street to be difficult to navigate.
The drains bordering the street are overrun with weeds preventing proper drainage particularly during this rainy season. To make life bearable pieces of wood have been used to allow persons to cross the many holes. The street can be described as a dam overrun with grass.
Residents have even reported that on some occasions they have seen snakes crossing the street from the drains to the weed infested plot of land that was intended to be a playfield for residents.
There is also a large mosquito population since the weed clogged drains are ample breeding grounds.
Overseer, Richard Mohabir of the Diamond/Grove Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) yesterday, when questioned on whether the roads fall under the jurisdiction of the NDC or the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, said that the NDC is responsible for the streets within the Avenues of Diamond.
However, he said that the NDC does not have the revenue to actually build roads. He said that despite this, the NDC does repair roads. “We have a team at the moment that is patching roads throughout Diamond. It has a work programme.”
He said that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure has been written to for assistance in boosting the NDC’s capacity to improve the road infrastructure. According to Mohabir, the subvention programme for May is dedicated towards roads.
Mohabir said that the problem is present not only in the Diamond area but in Grove as well. The Diamond Housing Scheme is one of the largest housing development projects established.

According to Mohabir the Infrastructure Ministry is responsible for the main Diamond thoroughfare. The overseer said that the NDC is working to respond to the needs of residents, and extended the invitation that those with concerns can call the NDC office and make their reports so that the particular issues can be investigated.
He said that after the reports are lodged, field visits are usually made to determine which area would be dealt with next. The recommendations are then made to the Council who then decides on the work programme to be executed.
Government in its 2017 Budget had recognised that the revenue base of Local Democratic Organs is woefully insufficient. This was highlighted by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, while presenting the budget last year.
He told the National Assembly that the valuation regime and financial system within which the organs operate are grossly inadequate causing the LDOs to be heavily dependent on financial support from the government.
Jordan expressed his government’s commitment to overhauling and modernising the national valuation systems and capacities in order to help LDOs improve the state of their finances.

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