Several reports adopted in National Assembly- improved social services guaranteed

DPI, GUYANA, Friday, January 19, 2018

The Interim Report of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic Services, and the First and Second Special Reports of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services of the Tenth Parliament, were adopted in the National Assembly, on Friday.

The Interim Report of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic services was laid by MP Komal Chand and supported by the Government side of the House.

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin expressed hope that the Committee will continue to examine the performance of the rice sector in its upcoming session given its importance to Guyana’s economic development. While Guyana lost a lucrative rice market in Venezuela, Minister Gaskin noted that the sector was able to rebound, “a testimony of the sector’s resilience.” “Government looks forward to further good news in the sector”, he added.

In his presentation, Foreign Affairs Minister Greenridge noted that the Committee’s meetings started off acrimoniously but found common ground as it relates to inadequacies in the system as a whole.

Several weaknesses both financial and systemic, the Minister said, were discovered in many agencies, including lack of measures to prevent overpayment, accounting officers found engaged in questionable activities being shifted to other agencies and the absence of performance bonds. Both Opposition and Government sides agreed that these deficiencies in many agencies affected the efficacy of their operations.

Recommendations of the Committee included an increase in the engineering staff at the Audit office, that interagency challenges be addressed in the Audit Report and that the Finance Secretary determine the criteria for writing off losses.

In her presentation on the First Special Report of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services of the Tenth Parliament, Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe assured that the Government improved a number of services for citizens since taking office and will continue to do so.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings while supporting the adoption of the Second Special Report of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services of the Tenth Parliament assured that in Barima-Waini, Region One where a visit was made by MPs to the Mabaruma Hospital and other offices, there has been a decline in maternal deaths in that region and other improvements in the regional public health system.

 

By: Stacy Carmichael

 

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