Budget 2017… Region Ten’s $3.138Billion approved

GINA, GUYANA, Tuesday, December 20, 2016

The inland Region of Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice (Region Ten) has been provided with a sum of $3.138Billion to provide socio-economic projects and services in 2017 for the 39,106 people who reside in the bauxite region.

The funding which was approved today, by the National Assembly provides support for:

• Regional Administration and Finance-$270.766M
• Public Works-$368.272M
• Education Delivery-$1.858B
• Health Services-$640.264M

Among the projects to be executed are:

• The completion of the Regional Administrative office at Mackenzie
• The upgrading of roads and drainage system
• The provision of access, revetment, structures and the desilting of creeks
• The completion of secondary schools, and the construction of a nursery and primary school and
• The completion of a health centre

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Patterson defended the Region’s 2017 allocation with support from the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Emile McGarrell, Region Ten’s Regional Executive Officer (REO) Gavin Clarke and the Regional Chairman, Renis Morian.

Adams-Patterson responded to questions posed by Opposition Members of Parliament including Ganga Persaud, Collin Croal, Neendkumar and Juan Edghill.

• New RDC office

Minister Adams-Patterson in response to the question posed by MP Croal, explained that a provision of $50M covers the completion of a new Regional Administrative office at Mackenzie.

She explained that the new building will facilitate the housing of all the departments of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) in one location. According to the Minister, this situation does not obtain at present. She further clarified that the new building will be 156 square feet, and will benefit more than 75 persons.

Also under regional administration and finance, Minister Adams-Patterson explained to Croal that $6M will cover the provision of a land cruiser for use by the REO. She explained that the REO has never been fully assigned a vehicle and was making use of one that was assigned to the Accounts Department in the region.

Meanwhile, a provision of $2.5M will be used to purchase a boat and engine, for the regional administration to service the communities on the Demerara River, Minister Adams-Patterson told Neendkumar.

• New nursery, primary school for Bamia

Minister Adams-Patterson also explained an allocation of $76.733M that is provided for under the region’s capital education programme. In response to the query raised by MP Edghill, the Minister explained that the provision covers the completion of Christiansburg and the Linden Foundation secondary schools to the tune of $18.5M and $15.42M respectively.

Covered, as well, under the allocation is the construction of a Grade C Nursery school ($20M) and a primary school ($22M) at Bamia, the Minister said. She further explained that the minor repairs to the Christianburg Secondary were annually funded under the region’s current education programme, but that due to the extensive repair works that needed to be done at the school, the works are now being put under the region’s education capital programme. Minister Adams-Patterson explained that the 2017 provision would only cover some of the rehabilitation that is needed at the school. She said that much more needs to be done in ensuing years, as no major repairs were executed on the schools in years.

• Roads’ upgrade 

Meanwhile, under Public Works, the Minister explained that roads will be upgraded at

Clemfield, One Mile Access, Greenheart Street/David Rose Avenue, and Daagarad Avenue, as well as  drainage systems at Manni Street, Wismar, Clemfield, Ball Field and Henderson road.

Access, revetment, structures and desilting of creeks will be catered for at Hymara/Cockatara, Silverballi and West Watooka.

In the area of health, she said, there will be the completion of health centre at Wiruni, the construction of living quarters for medical officials at Hururu, Ituni and Blueberry, and the construction of a reservoir at the Upper Demerara Regional Hospital.

 

By: Macalia Santos