Jagdeo urges youths' support in development quest --at Leonora Water Works commissioning Stabroek News August 17, 1999 President Bharrat Jagdeo commissioned the Leonora Water Works yesterday in his first public official act since being sworn in as president and issued a stirring call to the nation's youth to join ranks to propel the country's development. President Jagdeo braved a thunderstorm to speak to a gathering of Region Three residents and ensured that his message was heard before the programme was prematurely halted by the pounding rain. The total cost of the improvements to the pump station was $67 million. The equipment was procured under the Water Supply and Technical Assistance Rehabilitation Project and was installed by the Guyana Water Authority (GUYWA) with assistance from private contractors. The pumping station is capable of supplying 500 gallons per minute and designed to provide an adequate supply to the communities of Leonora, Stewartville and Uitvlugt or approximately 8,000 residents. The President, who attended the ceremony with First Lady Varshnie Jagdeo, indicated his intention to reach out to the masses so that they could get to know the man leading the nation. "Today many of you might not know me personally. Many of you might have read about me in the newspapers. I want to tell you that I grew up in the People's Progressive Party [PPP] and many of the things that the PPP stand for I hold dearly in my heart," he said, shouting above the din created by the crashing thunder. Noting that his previous job of minister of finance did not permit him much interaction with the people because his time was spent dealing with matters of state, Jagdeo told the gathering that he and his ministers will meet people all over the country in the coming months. "As President I intend to move about and bring my Cabinet to meet with the people because I believe strongly that for our programmes to succeed the people have to be an integral part of them." He also stated his intention to continue to fight corruption and promote religious and racial equality in the country. Stressing that no country could move forward if it was divided, Jagdeo pointed to the examples of the situations in places such as Bosnia, Kosovo and some African countries. Reiterating his call a few weeks ago at the launching of the billion dollar Pouderoyen Water Treatment Project currently under construction, the President emphasised the need for every Guyanese to play a part in the country's development, especially the nation's young people. "I am going to call on all the young people of this country to support me to move this country forward rapidly. We must respect our elders, but at the same time we must understand that our country's future lies in our hands," he declared. He made it known that he would work to galvanise the support of the young people in an effort to raise the level of enthusiasm for the development of Guyana. He once again spoke of the need to create a better climate for investment so that jobs could be created for the Guyanese people. Among his immediate plans, too, the President said, was to reach out to the opposition parties in an attempt to bring the people of the nation together. "Our country is too small to have religious, racial and other divisions. We all have to work together as one people and then we can move forward rapidly," he asserted. He said government will continue to provide support for the water sector in keeping with its manifesto presented to the people. GUYWA's Chairman, Komal Chand, said the rehabilitation of the Leonora Water Works was done after assistance was sought from central government. He noted that residents complained when GUYWA introduced the $3,600 yearly tariff, but pointed out that this works out to less than $10 per day. This had to be done to assist in the sustainability of the water sector and to ensure that the past did not repeat itself, he said. The British Government and the World Bank also provided funds for the project. After the commissioning, the President made his way through the downpour to meet residents huddled under a tent waiting anxiously to meet him. A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples