$265M supplementary budget approved for GLSC

The National Assembly on Thursday approved the supplementary budget of GY$265,025,850 – provisions that cater for the operational expenses to Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC).

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, said government’s intervention to reverse and reduce land rental fees, has seen a significant reduction of revenue inflows to the lands commission.

She said the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the unprecedented nationwide flooding earlier this year, brought on severe challenges for land occupants, who found it difficult to pay their rates and taxes on time.

“The massive programmes of the government have increased the workload of GLCS, in terms of surveying new lands for housing. Over 7,000 house lots distributed. More is being done with new lands being opened up; not just for housing, but economic investments and transformation programmes of the government.

These funds are well-deserved and (are) part of government’s policy of its transformative agenda that we will see enfolding within 2022,” Minister Teixeira articulated in response to questions on Thursday.

Government is looking to pass its GY$26 billion supplementary budget for several ministries and government agencies. These programmes include cash grant initiatives, equipment purchase, additional inflows for ongoing consultancies and other projects.

This is the second supplementary budget that the Government has sought in the National Assembly. Earlier this year, a $21.3 billion budget was approved for flood relief, vaccines and other emergency interventions.