ALBION, Berbice — President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Friday announced one of the most expansive development agendas ever unveiled for Region Six during a news conference following an intense two-day outreach in the region, outlining sweeping plans to modernise housing, public services, markets, roads, drainage, sea defence and community infrastructure as his administration accelerates its all-of-government engagement with residents.
Ali said the outreach marked the start of a new monthly system in which Cabinet and technical teams will operate directly from every region, ensuring that government remains fully accessible and accountable. “We are intensifying our connectivity with the people,” he told reporters. “Every month, government will function from a different region. No issue must escape the loop of government.”
Announcing a major overhaul of public-service delivery, Ali said Region Six will receive three integrated service hubs providing immigration, passport, licensing, GRA and civil-registration services along with electronic ID applications. He said the new system is designed to eliminate administrative dead-ends. “We are moving to a people-centred, citizen-centred approach. Every service must reach the people where they are,” he said.
Housing has emerged as the region’s top concern, driven largely by young families. Ali noted that nearly 8,500 applications are active, saying the government will invest more than $50 billion between 2025 and 2030 to keep pace with rising demand. “The desire for homeownership is stronger than ever,” he said. “We must create the conditions that allow our young people to build and expand their lives.”
The government expects to deliver 4,600 serviced lots at Moleson Creek, Palmyra and Glasgow, but Ali said meeting full demand requires securing additional land at Springlands, Number 77, Hogstye and an expanded Moleson Creek area. Twenty-five informal settlements will be regularised, adding nearly 2,000 titled lots. He also confirmed that 70 families at Number 46 Village — some with occupancy dating back more than a century — will receive titles next year. “The state has borne every cost — surveying, legal fees, acquisition. That is the type of support our people deserve,” he said.
Land tenure remains one of the region’s biggest challenges, with unresolved co-operative society holdings blocking legal ownership for hundreds of residents. Ali said a new project team within Lands and Surveys will move swiftly to address the backlog. “We cannot allow two disputes in a block to hold up titles for an entire community,” he said.
Security will also be expanded. Ali announced the reactivation of 25 community policing groups, creation of 10 new ones, and installation of child, family and gender-based violence support units at every police station. He said the government will deploy 50 small mobile police outposts in new housing areas to ensure faster response times. “People must feel the presence of the state in their communities — not only when something goes wrong, but every day,” he said.
Four new fire stations will be established along with a region-wide hydrant installation programme. Ali emphasised that emergency systems must match the pace of population growth. “We are building communities, and with that must come strong, reliable emergency services,” he said.
Seven of Region Six’s 16 markets will be rehabilitated under a nationwide modernisation programme. Ali criticised the Skeldon Market management for imposing burdens on vendors without proper consultation. “You cannot manage markets like private fiefdoms,” he said. “Vendors must be treated with fairness and respect.”
Two modern landfill sites will be constructed or upgraded, accompanied by new compactors for all NDCs and large fixed compactors in major town zones to improve waste collection. Ali said predictable and sanitary disposal systems are essential to the region’s economic evolution. “Your environment must reflect your ambition,” he said.
Massive upgrades will be made to the Corentyne Highway, including 4,500 streetlights, 160 kilometres of sidewalks with covered drains, new traffic signals, diversions to reduce congestion, and the removal of derelict vehicles. Ali expressed dissatisfaction with bridge-construction contractors and warned of consequences. “If contractors do not meet safety obligations, action will be taken. No one will be allowed to compromise public safety,” he said.
Coastal protection remains a priority, with three kilometres of riprap sea defence set to begin this year. Ali warned that mangrove depletion has created dangerous vulnerabilities. “We cannot play with the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities,” he said, noting that new monitoring and water-management systems will be introduced.
At Number 63 Village, the President announced a youth-focused tourism initiative that will help at least 100 young people — 60 percent of them women — establish bed-and-breakfast businesses. “We are building an economy where young people are owners, not bystanders,” he said.
Ali described Region Six as a “pillar of national growth” poised for massive transformation across every major sector. “We are keeping the gains and removing the challenges,” he said. “Region Six will be a model of modern, sustainable development.”