THIS article primarily focuses on the PPP/C initiatives in the development and uplift of living conditions in Buxton. Many political propagandists are like wild fire trying to make out a mystical case that under the PPP/C administration Buxton was ignored and did not receive its fair share of the National Development pie.

However, contrary to this misleading and provoking propaganda I would provide evidence to substantiate the established fact that in all of Government and more so the President special initiatives, Buxton is a key beneficiary, in addition to benefiting from grants and other monies programmed in the various sectors. Perhaps in an effort to understand from where Buxton came I wish to quote Mr. Eusi Kwayana in his book The Morning After page 49, “It was humiliating to hear propagandist making out the case in favor of Buxton, when PNC’s neglect of that village was a burning shame for at least 20 years.” He further stated, “Few Africans will admit that the PNC on leaving office left Buxton in a state of utter disrepair, when roads had not been maintained for over a decade and all the public schools were run down.” In describing the transition under the PPP/C Government this is what he had to say, “They will not either admit, as it is terribly inconvenient, that during its early years the PPP repaired or provided money for the reconstruction of main roads which had not been touched in living memory, altered the Buxton – Annandale sideline from mud dam for the first time since 1840 and renovated all the four schools in the Village.” This is indeed the inconvenient truth that is often ignored by propagandists with an aim at creating discontent among our brothers and sisters.

The President and the Government acknowledge the fact that Buxton is a community that requires special intervention and for that reason it was one of the top priority communities under the Depressed Community Needs Committee that received a special fifteen million dollars intervention to fund priority projects identified by the residents. It is important to note that these are projects that were identified by the people themselves without political or Government interference. Under the recurring grant provided by Government to the Buxton / Foulis NDC an amount of approximately forty five million was disbursed out of which Buxton was again a primary beneficiary. Under the President’s special initiative program that is the Community Drainage and Irrigation Project, Buxton again was a key beneficiary with the creation of over 30 direct jobs costing the Government in excess of twenty million dollars to date since its inception in 2006. This is direct revenue going back to the people of Buxton through employment created by the Government. Buxton is always featured under special initiatives by this Government to improve the living conditions of its people. Students on social assistance program as well as underprivileged proportionate to the size of the community benefited from the School uniform program through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security. Pensioners benefited from old age pension and similar facilities obtain for water subsidies and other benefits including distribution of spectacles. Where is the discrimination? Where is the neglect? Definitely invisible under this PPP/C Government. To sum it up this is what Eusi Kwayana had to say on page 49 in The Morning after, “It is unthinkable that any decent villager would consent to such false propaganda and remain silent, thus accepting it. It was my intention to break the silence and dispel of all this mischievous propaganda.”

Other initiatives include the expenditure of over one hundred and fifty million dollars since 2005 on the Drainage and Irrigation which saw the improvement of drainage and irrigation channels, rehabilitation of drainage sluice and installation of an additional mobile pump, all of which were for the benefit of the farmers and people of Buxton. Of course this is a duty of the Government and it is with great dignity and pride that this Government can boast of its numerous investments in Buxton. Under the Primary education Improvement project Buxton also had its fair share of development with the construction of the Company Road Primary School and the Friendship Primary School all at an approximate cost of ninety five million dollars. In this year’s budget an allocation of ten million is placed to complete the Practical Instruction Centre, a project that started a few years back but had to be postponed because of criminal threats. The same can be said of a road that was under construction with resources allocated through the Basic Needs Trust Fund. The Buxton Health Centre would also be rehabilitated with monies allocated in this year’s budget. The Buxton Middle Street and Friendship Street were also completed at an approximate cost of three million five hundred thousand dollars.

Indeed what is evident here is the fact that Government is staying true to its promise of having equitable and just development based only on merit, resources availability and the needs of its people. It is development with a human face that concerns the Government, people oriented development aimed at improving their lives. The Practical Instruction Centre would create opportunities for the youths to enhance the skills set with the provision of technical and vocational training. In addition over twenty five million dollars was spent in recent years through Regional allocation for a number of infrastructure rehabilitation programmes including the construction of a Nursery school.

This article provides a brief summary of the many developments within the Buxton community since the PPP/C took Government and provides a factual picture on Government commitment to the development of all the people in Guyana.