NORTH Ruimveldt residents on Saturday got a first-hand demonstration of the government’s new, ground-level approach to community engagement, as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand led a “comprehensive” walkthrough of the Georgetown neighbourhood, engaging residents and promoting the ministry’s recently launched WhatsApp Help Desk.
The exercise forms part of a wider strategy by the ministry to ensure that the presence of central government is felt in every community, not just through policy announcements, but through direct interaction with citizens and practical solutions to local issues.
Speaking with the media during the outreach, Minister Manickchand described the engagement as “fairly comprehensive,” noting both the strengths of the community and the areas requiring intervention.
“We heard what are some of the things that children themselves would like to see improved. So, you’re going to see some of that happening. We went down to the ‘Blacka.’ It was a good experience, and we saw where some drainage could be improved, as well as in other areas,” the minister said.
She highlighted the sense of neighbourly co-operation within North Ruimveldt and pointed to the existing open spaces available for children’s recreational activities, while acknowledging that targeted infrastructural upgrades are necessary to improve living conditions.
Central to the ministry’s outreach is its new WhatsApp Help Desk, an initiative designed to strengthen communication between citizens and the local authorities that serve them.
The platform allows members of the public to submit reports via text message, voice note, photo or video, with the option of sharing precise location details to ensure accurate logging and swift referral to the relevant agencies or local democratic organs.
The Help Desk can be accessed by messaging +592 762 2431 and has already received 22 messages from residents in East Ruimveldt and North Ruimveldt since its launch.
Minister Manickchand emphasised that while she cannot be physically present in every community daily, the Help Desk creates a direct line between citizens and decision-makers.
“You’ll see us doing this throughout communities all over Guyana, and not only me, but other ministers, other geographical representatives, other parliamentary representatives in the regions. And it’s how we serve. You can’t stay in an office and know what people’s needs are. So, I’m really pleased that we’re able to do this out here,” she said.
The Local Government Minister further committed to expanding this hands-on approach nationwide, with a particular focus on urban communities in Georgetown.
“I want them to know we’re here for them. I want them to know that we will respond. We will. That’s why we’re giving access to our numbers. I want them to know they can reach us, and I want them to see that we are their servants. And we know that. We are very conscious of the fact that we are their servants and we are going to be serving them,” Manickchand underscored.
The North Ruimveldt exercise is expected to be replicated across other communities as the ministry intensifies efforts to bridge the gap between citizens and state institutions through both physical presence and digital tools.
