Dear Editor,
It is difficult to understand why the building situated at the beginning of the road at Supenaam in Region 2 ‒ a landmark building that until recently housed the famous Supenaam Dispensary ‒ is left to fall apart, under the watchful eyes of all the regional officials.
Because of the deplorable state of the building and the compound, this two-storey landmark has become home to various insects, including the deadly Africanised bees, as well as numerous reptiles. The compound has vegetation that a person as tall as six feet can stand in without being detected easily, and vines growing as high as the roof.
I can recall, and I am sure that many people, not only from the community but from other areas as well will too, how we benefited tremendously from the medical services we received, be it day or night, and we can say that we were always fortunate to have a capable and caring medex and staff there.
While it is good to see that a new and bigger building has been constructed for that purpose, with more staff and more examinations being done, it boggles the mind as to why the original building is left to deteriorate unchecked, when same could be used for so many purposes from which the general public would derive major benefits.
Because of the location of the building everyone is of the view that it should be converted into a police outpost that would supplement the work of the Aurora Police Station located more than three miles away. That view was supported by no less a person than the serving Commissioner of Police and also head of the Guyana Defence Force, at the time, more than six years ago, because they visited the area together and both stressed how important and beneficial an outpost would be.
Up until recently when I was a member of the Regional Democratic Council of Region Two, this issue was raised and discussed, and it was unanimously agreed for the renovation of this landmark building for that purpose.
To date there is no evidence to indicate that that will be done. But there is evidence in abundance that this once famous dispensary building is being neglected by those in authority, those whom we have elected to make decisions that would in turn make some positive changes in our lives. The question is, are they failing us, and why?
A couple of days ago, in the company of two other concerned citizens who both know the history of the building (of course we are old enough, so we could talk about the dispenser who was there five decades ago), both were of the view that one day we would not be told, but would observe that this building, mainly because of its location or more precisely, because of the land, had been sold.
My response was, I am no longer a betting man, but my hope is that time would prove them wrong.
Yours faithfully,
Archie W Cordis
Former RDC Councillor
Region 2
