Opposition Member of Parliament, PNC General Secretary Dawn Hastings-Williams has issued a call on the Government to pay more attention to the developmental needs of the citizens of the hinterland communities.

Hastings-Williams is from Region 7.

During her Budget Debate contribution, MP Hasting- Williams said access to online education for persons in her Region is a serious challenge.

She also noted that professionals in the Region who have applied to do online courses cannot do so successfully, neither can they come to Georgetown to pursue higher education since it will be expensive to do so.

“Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to teachers, nurses and other workers in the hinterland who have applied to do online courses but have not been able to do so successfully due to the lack of connectivity and the few who managed to commence are making sacrifice to buying megabytes from private satellite internet services in the communities, and many have lamented that they may not be able to continue, or even dream of completion due to the high cost,” the Opposition MP said.

The Opposition MP said some relief was given to teachers when she made representation to the Minister of Education, and teachers were brought out to complete their studies at the Cyril Potter College of Education. 

Mrs. Hastings- Williams, who is also a teacher by profession, said the state of Education in her region leaves much to be desired.

She said while the previous APNU+AFC government built six primary schools across Region 7 in three years, the current PPP government has not built any more.

She said the lone secondary school in the region is plagued with water shortages and other challenges, which she hopes can be rectified soon.

On the question of housing, the Opposition MP said while it has been noted that building in Region Seven is expensive, she believes that a housing programme that was started by the former Government in the Region, should be reintroduced.

She said this Budget should treat the housing needs of the Region as a special case.

“I call on this government to treat region 7 then as a special case, do a special study and let this budget find ways and means of catering for of region number 7, they are Guyanese too and they are in the Essequibo, please I am asking,” Hastings pleaded.

According to Hastings-Williams, residents of the communities across Region 7 are also hoping for a more stable water supply.

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