President David Granger on Monday urged the councillors-elect for Bartica to use their win at the March 18 Local Government Elections (LGE) as a means of promoting collaboration and the progress of the new town.
According to a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency, Granger was at the time addressing patrons at the Golden Beach, Bartica at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Bartica Regatta.
“When I think of Bartica, I think of environment, of employment, of development. I would like to see the new Town Council not celebrating a victory – there is no victory here – there is an opportunity to combine [efforts] with the other elements of Bartica; the business community, the social community, the government society; to move Bartica forward. It is not a victory, it is an opportunity and let’s use this opportunity over the next three years to make Bartica strong,” President Granger said.
Granger’s APNU+AFC won a comprehensive victory in Bartica, beating back a challenge from an independent group, BIGA, and the opposition PPP/C. The councillors are still to be sworn in.
Granger said he always believed that given its history, Bartica should have become a town. Now that this vision has been realised, the town must aim to become the pioneer of green efforts.
“I have always felt that Bartica should be a town…. Bartica is 185 years old. Bartica is the best laid out hinterland town and deserved to be made a town; one hundred years ago…We must endeavour to make Bartica clean, green and serene. Bartica deserves to lead. That is the charge I have given the Town Council. We must abolish all of this Styrofoam, we must start planting, and we must have solid waste management systems… Bartica must lead the way.
What I want to see out of Bartica is a clean environment, economic development and also the empowerment of our citizens,” he said.
Mabaruma and Lethem were the other towns created for the LGE.
In relation to the Regatta, the President said that the region must aim to expand the event to include other communities and villages. He also hoped that the Regatta would become a national event, in which every individual could participate.
Granger declared the event open and led the ‘Lap of Honour’ to kick-off the day’s proceedings.
