20060319 Novar Mahaicony, page 1
MULTI-STAKEHOLDER FORUM IN NOVAR, MAHAICONY
Date: 19 March 2006
Region: 05
Venue: Novar Secondary School
Number of participants: 22
Facilitators: Mrs. A. Prescott and Mrs. V. David
What can we celebrate as positives in Guyana
· We all want to see positive development and a united Guyana.
· Mr. S. Chan and friends (overseas) have recently donated US 5,000 worth of drugs and 2 X-Ray machines to the Ministry of Health. One machine will be used at the Mahaicony Hospital and the other at Linden Hospital.
· A medical team will be visiting shortly to address the health needs of the residents.
Elements of a vision for Guyana
· To have a unified, peaceful, loving and caring people working together for development.
· Guyanese should be more patriotic and truly be one people, one nation, one destiny.
· To be clean, peaceful, secure and crime free – improved security systems should be put in place.
· There should be more agricultural development and poverty alleviation.
· There should be better health services.
Present local conflicts/areas of tension
Infrastructure
1. To have electricity in Novar – this is long over due.
2. There should be street lights from the Bridge to Huntley.
3. The residents (Hindus) need the cremation dam from Novar to Good Faith to be paved.
4. High priority: People urgently need land line telephones—service from Novar to Little Abary; and public telephone booths in Mahaicony.
Health facilities
5. Response from the relevant authority on the X-Ray machine and building – the X-Ray machine is locked up and still not in use. Mr. Khan and friends from overseas donated this machine and constructed a building for it. The machine needs to be functioning at the Mahaicony Hospital.
6. Approval to commence construction of the hospital mortuary – Mr. Chan has gathered monies for this but there has been a lot of delay in obtaining permission to build. Mr. Edghill should know of this.
Security
7. The residents live in fear – there needs to be better security
Economic development
8. There is no market for cash crops.
Education
9. High priority: The Novar Nursery School which has 160 students only has 3 teachers including the Head teacher. Despite this severe teacher shortage, vacancies are not advertised at the regional level. Residents who are qualified have sent in their applications but have been kept waiting. This situation needs to be addressed urgently.
Potential for violent conflict
The chairman of the NDC has poor working relationships with members of the community. He needs to improve his relations with the community.
Concrete commitments and ideas towards overcoming challenges
Recommendations made by the residents were as follows:
Education
10. The recruitment and appointment of more teachers at Novar Nursery School should be speeded up–at least by next term. Parents are tired of volunteering. The NDC should inform the TSC of these vacancies immediately. CXC students without jobs can volunteer if given a stipend. There are qualified youths in the community who could be given these jobs.
Health facilities
11. High priority: The health facilities at Mahaicony hospital need urgent attention. There should be doctors, midwives, X-Ray department and another ambulance driver. Approval needs to be given for works on the mortuary to commence (funds will be provided by Mr. S. Chan and employment will be offered to residents).
12. There should be a resident medex at the health centre.
13. Employ additional ambulance driver now.
14. Install blood testing unit urgently.
15. To obtain urgent approval to construct the mortuary – this is badly needed.
16. Mahaicony Hospital should be made into a central hospital so that residents do not have to go to Georgetown Hospital.
Economic Development
17. There should be better communication and collaboration between the government, NDC/Regional Authorities and Mr. Chan to ensure the continued development of the community and country. Residents along with Mr. S. Khan, are committed to developmental works in the area of health – Mr. Khan continuously solicits funds to provide medical assistance especially for Mahaicony.
Security
18. There should be peaceful political meetings of all parties in the community.
Any other observations/process issues
To have more of these conversations.
Community Representatives for the Regional Conference
The Head Master/Mistress of Novar Nursery School.
A nurse midwife.