Region 5 NDCs successfully complete 75 percent of 2017 developmental works.

DPI, Guyana, Monday, October 23, 2017

Three of the ten Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region 5 (Mahaica /Berbice) have successfully completed developmental works facilitated by their Government subventions. According to Regional officials, the NDCs in the Region have completed 75 percent of their 2017 programmes, to date.

Regional Engineer, Ms. Tejwattie Roopchand said that the three NDCs which have successfully made full use of their $4M Government subventions are the Union/Naarstigheid (U/N) NDC, the Mahaicony/Abary (M/A) NDC and the Woodlands/ Bel Air (W/BA) NDC.

Expenditure of U/N NDC’s subvention saw the construction of two all-weather roads in communities at a cost of $2.2M and $1.8 respectively. Expenditure of the subvention by the M/A NDC enabled them to purchase ten High-Density Polyethylene pipes (HDPE pipes) to improve residential drainage at  cost of $1.3M, construct dams at a cost of $713,000 and a walkway on the Huntley Railway Embankment i.e. at Bharat Street  at a cost of $1.8M.

M/A NDC invested part of their grant in the purchase of one Canon Image Runner Photocopier and one toner cartridge at a cost of $221,000 to improve office efficiency. The W/BA NDC fully utilised its $4M Government subvention improve the community of No. 8 Village Middlewalk, with the construction of a new street.

The Profit/Rising Sun (P/RS) NDC used its subvention to purchase road building materials for repairs and maintenance to some roadways in its communities at a cost of $700,000 and the construction of a footpath bridge at a cost of $600,000, at a 100% completion achievement. It also purchased HDPE tubes with self-acting doors to improve residential drainage which is 75 percent complete in its installation.

Of the six other NDCS in the region, the Bath/Woodley Park NDC has also to date completed most of its subvention projects which included construction of twenty speed bumps in roads within the community (100% complete), purchasing of road building materials for road repairs and maintenance (100% complete) purchasing of HDPE tubes and self-acting Koker doors to enhance residential drainage (100% complete).

Roopchand also disclosed that the purchase of a tractor-pulled slasher by this NDC at a cost of $800,000 of its $4M subvention is currently being undertaken., Also making full use of a sizeable part of its subvention to date is the Blairmont/ Gelderland (B/G) NDC which has purchased and used $2M of crusher run, stone, hot mix and white sand to repair and upgrade roads within the villages within its boundaries.

This NDC is in the process of purchasing a tractor pulled slasher with the remainder of its subvention.

The Rosignol/Zeelust NDC (R/Z) completed construction of an access road in Bennet Dam at a cost of $1.7M of its Central Government subvention and the construction of an access road to the cemetery at # 4 Village at a cost of $1.1M.

Tempie /Seafield used $2M of its subsidy funds to o fence playgrounds at Lichfield and Brittania villages while Hamlet/Chance the geographically smallest NDC is overseeing the construction of 75 rods of DBST road at a cost of $2.3m and the construction of a koker door in the village at a cost of $400,000.

Engineer Roopchand said that the 25% works outstanding will also include new projects some of the NDC were asked to recommend.   Additionally, five projects are still engaging the attention of the Regional Tender Board.

These include three for the Woodlands/Farm NDC, one for Hamlet Chance NDC and one for Bath/Woodley Park NDC.

Notwithstanding this, Roopchand said she is confident that these outstanding issues will be fully resolved within the few remaining months of the year.

 

By: Clifford Stanley