The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, on Tuesday, commissioned a newly constructed $18.3 million building to serve the No. 64-74 Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) on the Corentyne Coast, Region Six.
The commissioning of the new NDC office is aimed at improving public service delivery and community engagement in the area.
Delivering the feature address, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, highlighted the importance of creating functional and modern spaces for the administration of local affairs.
“This new facility will provide a more suitable and efficient environment for the conduct of NDC business and public transactions,” the Minister noted.
Minister Parag explained that the project was made possible due to increased budgetary allocations, which have facilitated the construction of several new NDC buildings across the country.
While acknowledging that not all councils can benefit from new facilities at this stage, she pointed out that funds have also been directed toward rehabilitating structurally sound buildings in other communities.
“The government is committed to ensuring that local governance structures across Guyana are properly resourced to serve the people effectively,” Minister Parag said.
However, she cautioned that the physical structure alone is not enough. “This facility is here to improve service delivery, but officials are still expected to be active in the field and accessible to residents. Public service is not confined to an office,” she reminded NDC staff and councillors.
In recent months, several development initiatives have been rolled out within the No. 64-74 village and surrounding areas. These include upgrades to community roads, enhanced drainage and irrigation systems, and the implementation of local employment and skills training programmes under the Ministry’s Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP).
Tuesday’s ceremony was attended by Regional Chairman David Armogan, Regional Vice Chairman Zamal Hussain, Regional Executive Officer Narindra Persaud, and other regional officials, who praised the initiative as a step toward greater administrative efficiency and grassroots development.
