REGION 2 Chairman, Mr. Parmanand Persaud has said that the Regional Administration has budgeted for a new, modern secondary school for Abram Zuil among several major projects for 2015.

Speaking on an RCA Channel 8 programme with Minister Norman Whittaker on Wednesday in Essequibo, Mr. Persaud said the new secondary school is listed in the capital works programme for this year, and once the national budget for this year is passed in Parliament, the project will come on stream.

In highlighting some of the major projects for Region 2 for this year, the chairman said the main canal is also listed for desilting, so farmers can have a better flow of irrigation water from conservancies to their rice fields; and the Region 2 budget has catered for a new power station with three new engines to give a reliable supply of electricity to residents, and to meet the demand of the business and manufacturing sectors.

He said also that it has been budgeted for Charity and the schemes to have a better potable water system, and for a $75M rice cereal factory to be constructed at Anna Regina so the rice industry can have value-added industries.

Mr. Persaud said a new, modern hospital is also budgeted for this year. The building is to be constructed with three wings, and the Charity hospital will be fully equipped this year to perform surgeries. Oxygen will also be available to all patients at health centres across the coast.

The Chairman said the budget would also cater for a secondary education programme to be started this year at Kabakaburi, and for the road leading to Red Lock Bridge aback Anna Regina to be upgraded and paved. The road leading to Mashabo is also budgeted for upgrading this year.

The Chairman said the Anna Regina Multilateral School playground is budgeted for development this year, so that schools can use it for their sports activities. He said more dams leading to rice fields are budgeted for upgrading with sand and loam, while the Dawa Pump Station is listed for maintenance work during 2015.
The Chairman said a large pump will also be set up at Lima this year to improve drainage. He said the contract for the setting up of the pump is already awarded to Mr. Doodnauth Samaroo of Hampton Court.

(Rajendra Prabhulall in E/bo)