MINISTER of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai, while on a visit to Kato, Region 8, on Saturday, delivered on a commitment made to invest in the construction of a bridge that is crucial to the transportation needs of the residents of Kato, Chiung Mouth and Kurukubaru.

Minister Sukhai handed over a $5M cheque to Toshao Noel Fredricks. The money will be used to construct a new bridge at Arrow Creek that links Kato to Chiung Mouth and Kurukubaru.
Witnessing the presentation was Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Regional Executive Officer Ronald Harsawack.

The sum of $4.5M will be spent on the bridge and $500, 000 will support the much needed rehabilitation of the Chiung Mouth end of the road leading to the bridge. The construction works will be carried out by the villagers.
Minister Sukhai cautioned that the village council must take full responsibility for ensuring the completion of the project.
Government and the regions’ officials had taken the decision to award road and track construction and rehabilitation in the hinterland to the village councils as part of a process of building local capacity and stimulating village economies. The decision was also taken following steady complaints of outside contractors delivering substandard work.

The Region 8 administration, for this year, has disbursed contracts to the value of $2.3M, benefiting several village councils for road upgrades, cleaning of creeks and some other minor infrastructure works.
Harsawack advised that central government has accessed an additional $13.8M to disburse in this regard, and that  Kato has been identified as one of the villages that will benefit. It is in line to receive $1.5M.         
Harsawack has recommended that this could be used to complete the additional stretch of the Chiung Mouth end of the road leading to the Arrow Creek Bridge.
The village council was advised that the money will be disbursed to them after the council writes to the Tender Board accepting responsibility for the disbursement.