CHAIRMAN of the Hague/Den Amstel/Blankenburg Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) on the West Coast Demerara, George Nedd has rejected allegations that there was discrimination in the design of the Day Care Centre built in the village.

He told the Chronicle that a resident recently went on a local television station with “spurious allegations” on the construction of the Day Care Centre that was done under the Poor Rural Community Support Services Project (PRCSSP).

Mr Nedd said the resident claimed that a similar Day Care Centre at Leonora, also on the West Coast Demerara, is much bigger and this is so because of political and racial consideration.

However, he explained that the two-flat building at Leonora is bigger because it serves a much bigger population than that of Den Amstel, and contrary to what the resident is claiming the Den Amstel project was free from any political or racial consideration.

He added that in any case the building at Den Amstel was constructed in such a way to accommodate an upper flat if the need arises.

“It is truly a people’s project. Its design has been free of any form of bureaucratic manipulation. The groups were involved at all stages of the project - from design to completion which included monitoring of works by way of works committees being the first signatory on certificates for payment, to contractors for works satisfactorily completed,” Nedd asserted.

Unlike the impression being created by the resident, he said the centre has been well received by villagers and is serving a dual purpose - a skills training centre for women and a crèche, as the community has many working single parents.

He noted though that the centre needs more support from the community.

Nedd said another scheme executed under the PRCSSP in the community is the Cattle Pasture Rehabilitation Project in which 11 acres of pasture land were fenced and grubbed and a storage bond and guard hut built.

However, because of the January floods the storage bond has not yet been stocked with livestock feed.

The facility is being used by some 40 cattle farmers in the community, Nedd said and an estimated $18 million was spent on the two projects.

PRCSSP is jointly funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Guyana, and is operational in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) and Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands).

Its mandate is to facilitate the rural poor by financing projects which will remove constraints to production, ultimately leading to improved livelihoods, and targets primarily women, youths and Amerindians.

Nedd rejected a claim too by the resident that a Hymac excavator owned by the NDC was cannibalised, stating that on the contrary the machine was vandalised by a highly organised gang which has made several such raids in the community and elsewhere.

He said the matter was reported to the police but no action has been taken so far.

The resident also accused Nedd of being involved in the killing of a manatee from a conservation project in the village.

Completely rejecting the accusation, Nedd said that when the incident occurred he was out of the country, and the manatee was killed by employees of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO).

He added that eyewitnesses gave statements to the police who have not taken any action.