Anna Regina Town Council, NDCs get $29M in subventions

Some $29 million was on Friday handed over to the Anna Regina Town Council and eight Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) to carry out their 2021 work programme.

The NDCs were awarded a subvention of $2.5million each, a significant increase to what the local organs previously received. The town council was allocated some $9 million.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Hon. Nigel Dharamlall distributed the cheques at the Regional Administration’s boardroom.

“We expect that those resources are going to be used to elevate the circumstances of the eight NDCs and the township. I can assure you that as we move forward in the next few months, more resources for development would come to the town and the NDCs.”

We have also awarded or been granted no objection to a few 100 million dollars’ worth of additional contracts for roads in every NDC as well as the township. It is part of our government’s commitment to ensure that we provide better physical development in different areas in every village,” he said.

As such, upgrades will be undertaken at the Lima and Charity landfills. The Minister disclosed that the ministry will soon acquire a third landfill in the region.

“Hopefully we can also begin some upgrading works where that is concerned, but this is specific to the NDC areas.”

He urged contractors to build a good relationship with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) to ensure that the Government’s manifesto promise is realised. Further, they were instructed to employ locals for infrastructural works in the region.

“For us, as a Government, our economic philosophy is that when we put resources into communities, we would like those resources to revolve. I am telling you this because I want you to make sure that residents get job opportunities since the region was terribly affected over the last five years where a lot of development support did not come,” the Minister said. This approach is in keeping with the Government’s commitment to create jobs and boost the region and country’s economy. Minister Dharamlall also encouraged contractors to honour their social responsibility and assist in the physical transformation of the region.