Pomeroon/Supenaam gets 4.579B

– $2.525B towards improved education delivery

– $1.089B for improved health services

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Residents of Pomeroon/Supenaam, Region Two in 2019 will benefit from over $4.579Billion geared towards the development of various sectors. These include health, agriculture, education and infrastructure.

The sum was this evening passed during the consideration of estimates of the 2019 National Budget in the Committee of Supply. Of that amount, over $4.047Billion has been allocated towards current expenditure and $532Million for capital expenditure.

The education sector received the largest amount totalling $2.525Billion with $2.314Billion and $211.4Million allocated to the sector’s current expenditure and capital expenditures respectively.

A total of $175Million of the capital budget was assigned for construction of the Abram Zuil Secondary School, the extension of Adventure Annex and Wakapau Secondary School, construction of living quarters at Kabakaburi and St. Monica Primary schools and construction of sanitary block at Capoey Nursery School.

There will also be the construction of a bridge at Riverstown and landing at Wakapau costing more than $14Million. Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan highlighted that the bridges will be constructed at Riverstown to provide access to students, costing $5.5Million. Additionally, $8.754Million will be used to construct the landing at Wakapau. The Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan defending the budgetary allocations explained that the bridge was requested since the nursery school students are currently using a swamp to attend school.

For improved Region’s health services, a mammoth sum of $1.089Billion was allocated, of which $939.5Million will be utilised for this sector’s current expenditure and $150Million for capital expenses. The monies will see the installation of solar systems, upgrading of electrical systems. These include completion of the operating theatre at the Suddie Hospital. Minister Bulkan pointed out that by December 31, the theatre will be at 60 percent complete and should be fully functional by February 2019.

Other works include the rehabilitation of electrical systems at the Public Hospital in Suddie and the Oscar Joseph District Hospital. Provision for solar systems at health centres and posts – Kabakaburi, Hackney, Wakapau, Karawab and Siriki, all at a cost of $88.4Million. The sum of $10Million will also see the construction of a landing at Marlborough Health Post.

The agricultural sector received $455.5Million in total. Of the $40.9Million has been allocated for capital projects; $40.2Million will be for improved drainage and irrigation. This includes the construction of a culvert at Windsor Castle and a sluice at Charity, rehabilitation of bridge at Queenstown and upgrading of access dam at Devonshire Castle.

Region Two, through the monies allocated for infrastructure development, will see the construction of bridges at bridges at L’Union, Lima and payment of retention, costing $26Million. There will also be upgrading of a number of roads at Charity Housing Scheme, Dartmouth, Good Hope, Lima and L’Union to the tune of $54Million. The sum of $25Million will go towards the purchase of Sewage Truck. Minister Bulkan explained that the truck will serve approximately 3000 persons.

Isaiah Braithwaite.

Image: Jameel Mohamed.