Faerber reports capital, current work programmes nearly complete
THE Chairman, Mr. Julius Faerber has reported that the capital and current work programmes in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) are 84 and 90 per cent completed respectively.
“The region is making progress,” he told the Guyana Chronicle and that several areas were targeted for capital works, including bridges, agriculture development and roads.
Faerber said a total of $18M was allocated to complete eight overpasses and, to date, seven have been built.
The building projects involved $41M for extensions to educational facilities and 12 of the 26 have been done; $24M to be spent on six regional health care facilities, four of which were completed and $5M on five administrative buildings, with three finished.
In relation to purchase of equipment, Faerber said $15.5M were expended in the health sector, $2.2M on administration and $20M on education, resulting in all the requirements being bought.
According to him, 12 of 15 agriculture development undertakings were accomplished, access roads and dams included and $2.52M were dedicated to the completion of land and water jobs.
Faerber said, during the year, the region targeted five major roads for land development, at a cost of $25.5M while minor roads were addressed under seven projects, five of which were done.
He said some of the problem areas include the Best Village Road but a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) contract has been awarded for rehabilitating it and 14 more although the work has not yet commenced.
He said another challenge is the condition of the roads in the recently established Tuschen Housing Scheme, where potholes have become craters.
Faerber said the scheme has not yet been handed over to the regional administration and it, therefore, has no jurisdiction over any works there.
“Any works to be done there comes under the Ministry of Housing and Water,” he said.
Faerber said that other places, such as Den Amstel and Uitvlugt are being addressed, with one project started on Den Amstel Old Road and another, in Uitvlugt, where the Regional Administration is working with the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).
He maintained that 2010 has been a reasonably good year for the region, despite challenges and, apart from the inclement weather; some contracts had to be reassigned because of defaulting contractors.
“We still have some time to do what we can before the year ends,” Faerber noted and recalled that 2009 ended with 98 per cent of its capital work programme and 99 per cent of its current work programme done.