RESIDENTS of Region 7 -Cuyuni/Mazaruni- will benefit from improved health and education facilities and delivery following the approval Monday by the National Assembly of the sum of $1.620B for the delivery of such services in the region for 2014.A provision of $145.959M will cover the undertaking of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) in implementing the development plans set out in the region’s 2014 work programme. The delivery of roads, bridges and other infrastructure is covered under a provision of $162.993M, while education delivery will see a whopping $933.154M being spent. Additionally, the sum of $378.702M covers health services, and includes the construction and rehabilitation of health buildings, and the purchase of equipment and vehicles.
The sum of $27.5M will target the construction of health posts at Wineperu and Kartabo and the rehabilitation of health posts at Kaburi and Batavia.
Under health delivery, $15.850M is set aside for the purchase of vehicles, including an ambulance. During the consideration of the estimates, APNU Member Dr. George Norton questioned Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, on the cost of this vehicle. The minister explained that the purchase of the ambulance will carry a cost of $11M.
The minister said that money remaining from the $15.850M will be used to acquire an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) for the Bartica District Hospital and two boats and 15HP engines, one each will go to Jawalla and Batavia Health Centres.
Meanwhile, also under health service delivery, the sum of $10.645M will be spent in 2014 to procure furniture and equipment to improve staff quarters and health facilities in the region. Facilities to benefit from this intervention include Bartica Hospital, and the Kamarang, Batavia and the Isseneru health posts, among others.
Dr. Norton also questioned a provision of $1M for solar systems for the health post in the region. Minister Whittaker explained that the solar panel will be for the Wineperu and Kartabo Health posts.
Meanwhile, $43M will provide for education buildings. Minister Whittaker explained that this encompasses the completion of schools at Kaburi and Itaballi, the rehabilitation and extension of primary schools at Chinoweng, Imbaimadai and Kartabo, the construction of a teachers’ quarters at Issano and the construction of sanitary blocks at Paruima and Itaballi primary schools. Under this allocation, the minister explained, $6M will be provision for retention for rollover projects.
Also under education delivery, $2M will be used for the purchase of boats and outboard engines. In response to an inquiry, Minister Whittaker explained that it will purchase two 25 ft boats and one 45HP engine for Kamarang and a 25HP engine for Chinoweng.
Meanwhile, also under education delivery, there will be the purchase to the tune of $11.47M of education furniture and equipment to improve accommodation at several schools in the region, while $8M will provide for solar panels for Paruima, Kangaruma and Quebanang primary schools.
Joe Harmon, of the APNU, also questioned a provision of $22.1M that caters for the construction and rehabilitation of roads at Agatash and Track ‘X’ Caribese Hill. The Opposition sought clarification as to the materials that would be used and the stretch of the road for Agatash that would be covered under the allocation.
Minister Whittaker explained that the roads would be DBST and that 500ft of the Agatash road will be brought up to that level. The remaining stretch of this road, he explained, would be maintained under public works capital expenditure, whereby a total of $87.170 has been provided for the maintenance of several roads in the region.
Meanwhile, Dr.  Norton also questioned what material would be used with regards to construction of a bridge at Phillipai, which is covered with a provision of $5M. He was told it will be a greenheart timber bridge.
A provision of $7M will provide for the construction of revetment at Byderabo, Bartica.

(GINA)