SEVERAL regional administrations have reported that their work programmes have been executed in accordance with set targets executed during the first quarter of this year. These include Regions  One (Barima/Waini),  Two (Pomeroon /Supenaam) and Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) have reported success in their regional work programmes for the first quarter of this year. Speaking with this newspaper recently, Chairman for Region One Fermin Singh said his jurisdiction “is not doing so badly” and that two small contracts that were awarded are almost complete.
According to him, 20 percent of the year’s work has been completed and contracts for 25 percent of the capital works have been awarded, while a lot of work is being done under the region’s current work programme.
Chairman of Region Two, Alli Baksh, told the Chronicle that for the year so far, the administration has advertised and awarded 60 percent of its work programme.
The region has also started drainage and irrigation works, road works, repairs to bridges, structures and culverts.
Meanwhile, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Three should be in a position to substantially complete its work programmes for 2011 by mid-year, Regional Chairman Julius Faerber reported last week.
With the capital budget standing at $255M, and the current budget in the vicinity of$ 2.3B, the region is hoping to achieve an increase in sugar and rice production, dairy and beef production, and chicken and egg production.
Meanwhile, 86 per cent of works under the capital programme has been advertised, while 50 percent under the current programme has been completed. The region hopes to advertise the remainder of its work programmes within two weeks time.
The capital work programme for this year covers five programmes with $5M being awarded for administration and finance, $50M for agriculture, $98.5M for public works, $50M for education delivery, and $51M for health services.
According to the Chairman, $21M will go to bridge repairs; $41M to educational buildings; $30M to health buildings; $16M to health equipment; $2.5M on admin equipment; $9M on education equipment; $50M to agricultural development; $52M to roads; $24M to land development; $3M for water transport; and $5M to the purchase of an ambulance.
Under the current work programme, $219.3M will go towards agriculture, $85.1M to public works, $1.4B to education delivery and $507M to health services.
Meanwhile, the administration has already started work under the current work programme that includes potholes patching and repairs; repairs to health centre bridges; weeding of hospital compounds; and replacing pit latrines at some hospitals.
The region’s ‘Road Support Project’ will facilitate repairs to some 18 roads with the $18M plus that has been allocated in the budget this year.
Reportedly, roads will be repaired at Station Street, Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE); First Cross Street, Stewartville, West Coast Demerara (WCD); Clarke Dam, Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara (WBD); Gap Road, La Jalousie, WCD; Third Cross Street, La Jalousie, WCD; Second Street, Silk Cotton Dam, Zeelugt, EBE; Belle Vue Main to End, WBD; Back Street, Groenveldt, WCD; Sea View Road, Hague, WCD; Main Access Road(front road) to Venezuela Housing Scheme, Uitvlugt, WCD; Singh and Murphy Streets, Sisters Village, WBD; First Street, La Grange, WBD; London Alley, Den Amstel, WCD; South Sideline (east), Nismes, WBD; Sideline Road, NPR, Den Amstel, WCD; Fourth Cross Street, Patentia, WBD; and First Street, Patentia Housing Scheme, WBD.
Under a ‘Cript’ Programme, or a Community Road Improvement Project, a total of 53 other roads will be repaired, the Chairman said when questioned specifically about Best Road, WCD. This road is reportedly in a deplorable state with huge potholes.
Faerber said there are three Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) that will  benefit from this type of programme and Best Road will be cared for when it gets on stream. “It is expected to start very shortly,” he said.
In the meantime, he reported that the administration has been doing minimal maintenance works to make sure the roads are useable to some level that persons can traverse in and out.
He said it has also written to the Ministry of Finance asking for extra funding to develop Best Road and Bella Dam. These two roads are expected to be completed before the half of this year.
Faerber reported that the region gained a substantial performance last year with 99 percent achievement.