AFC WELFARE VISIT TO BARTICA – TUE DEC 14, 2009

A successful outreach was made to Bartica, a mining town in Region 7. The objective was to bring Christmas cheer to the needy children as well as to interact with adults. The AFC team comprised Mrs. Latchmin Punalall and Mrs. Sheila Holder, members of parliament of the AFC and Pastor Sewnauth Punalall, executive member. We departed Georgetown around 7:00 a.m. and arrived in Bartica by 11:00 a.m. where Mrs. Olinda Griffith one of our regional councilors met us. In addition to accompanying us to the various villages she was also kind to help us out with lunch and transportation. We commenced our visit at Four Miles Housing Scheme up the Potaro Road and worked back to the township visiting many villages which included Bidarabo and the West Indian Housing Scheme. We tried to identify areas and homes which were much depressed and the children were overjoyed to receive something for Christmas from the AFC. In one yard at Bidarabo we met a grandmother with as many as thirty grandchildren. We were also able to visit the dorm facilities at Three Miles Sec. School where we interacted with the house parents. The few adults whom we met shared that:-

Roads which were recently built have quickly deteriorated because of poor standard of work. On one of those roads we got stuck.
There are many social problems which are drug related and which are eroding the social fabric very rapidly.
Employment opportunities are very limited. The main economic activity is mining and everything commercial is directly or indirectly connected to this.
Schools there are lacking in teachers for all the Sciences, Math and English.
Prices of most commodities are pretty steep in this town because of the lack of a proper cargo service. We were told that a few decades ago the area was serviced by a regular cargo vessel. At that time the population was much lower. Residents now estimate the population to be in the vicinity of 20,000. One would have expected that with this growth in population there would have been an improvement in the cargo service. AFC intends to press for this need to be addressed.

All 10 Rgions will receive toys.

Mahdia

Lethem

Bartica

New Amsterdam

Linden

Georgetown

Corentyne

Kwakwani

West Coast Berbice

Essequibo (2 locations)

Hague

Pomeroon

Morouca

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