Transport and other challenges to be addressed in hinterland communities

Newly-appointed Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, with responsibility for hinterland communities, Pauline Sukhai, has highlighted the need for improved transportation services in these areas.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with Ignite News on Tuesday, the Minister reflected on her recent visits to a number of hinterland communities, where transport was listed among the key challenges.

“We find that there’s need to support more transportation needs, especially in the hinterland. And so that is a recommendation that is coming forward. Accessing school for the riverain children, it means ensuring that there’s more fuel to transport them,” Sukhai noted.

She also outlined other challenges observed, including the need to enhance living conditions for hospital staff and teachers who travel from various villages for work.

“They have nice, new facilities to stay in or to live in and what we’ll have to recommend is adequate furnishing,” Sukhai said.

The former Minister of Amerindian Affairs added that while the challenges encountered are not major, her work aligns with the President’s vision of service.

“It’s not significantly negative challenges that we’ve found. My first two weeks was taking a look from a different level, as the Minister within the Ministry of Local Government to acquaint myself with what it takes, the resources that might be necessary for the delivery of service to the people,” the Minister noted.

She added that while she has not yet hosted community meetings during her first visit as the newly-appointed Minister, issues raised by local administrations will be addressed.

“The hinterland is a unique place. We have to close the gap,” she said.

“Some of the challenges that we encountered is within the system– for good delivery of government service to the people, because the people is our primary beneficiaries of what government is responsible for delivering,” she stressed.