Capital projects in Region 5 progressing well

─ inclement weather, not a deterrent

DPI, Guyana, Monday, July 30, 2018

The execution of Region Five, Mahaica/Berbice’s capital works program for 2018 is on schedule and progressing well despite the current spate of inclement weather.

Senior Regional Engineer, Dhanpaul Sukha disclosed that the administration has invited bids for 100 percent of its capital projects for the year and that 65 percent of these had been completed to date with a projection for the program to be entirely completed by late September this year.

Public works completed and in the process of completion include rehabilitation of several community roads in villages in West Coast Berbice and in Mahaicony. These roads are being upgraded from earthen dams and crusher run roads to asphaltic surfaces. These will allow residents better access to the main road, public and recreational facilities and connecting streets, especially during rainy weather.

In the area of education, funds allocated are currently being spent on the extension of schools, construction of new facilities and rehabilitation of school buildings, reconstruction of the Primary school at Champayne, Mahaicony and the construction of two new nursery schools at the village of Catherine.

Sukha said that the administration had awarded contracts for these works for education delivery earlier this year but had deliberately held back execution because of the schools being in session. He said that now that schools are closed the works are being accelerated for completion before schools reopen for the new school year.

Under agricultural development, work is currently ongoing on the development of the Regional Agricultural Economic Project at Naarstigheid, West Coast of Berbice for which a total of $35Million had been allocated.

This project is expected to be launched at the opening of the Regional Agricultural and Commercial Exhibition (RACE) scheduled for September 28 next.

The administration had been given $3.2Billion for current and capital works programs. The sum of $2.8Billion was slated for current expenditures and $415Million for capital expenditures. The sum of $155Million was allocated for public works, $145Million for education delivery, $60Million for agricultural development, $2.6Million for health services and $2.2Million for Regional Administration. The sum available for expenditure on capital works in the public works sector reflected a 45 percent increase on the sum allocated for 2017.

Sukha said that the rainy weather had somewhat affected the work on the community roads and some other projects in general but assured that these jobs will recommence in in earnest with the September deadline for completion being achieved.

Story and Image By: Clifford Stanley