THE National Assembly yesterday approved the estimates in the 2013 Budget for Regions 7 and 8 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni and Potaro/Siparuni, respectively) under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

This was not before the subject minister, Ganga Persaud, answered a barrage of questions posed by opposition members on the various sections under which allocations were made for the two regions.
However, before the first break of yesterday’s session, estimates were approved for capital and current expenditures for Regional Administration and Finance, Public Works, Education Delivery and Heath Services for both regions.
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament, Dawn Hastings questioned a $19M provision for maintenance of buildings under Regional Administration and Finance for Region 7, noting that there was no such provision for the two previous years.
Minister Persaud explained that the buildings under this section are all admin buildings, but were previously included under Public Works. He advised that the buildings which will be rehabilitated this year are the Regional Democratic Council main office to the tune of $6M, the regional guest house at $5M, the regatta pavilion at $3M , and the Amerindian hostel at $2M, all in Bartica. Additionally, he disclosed that $3M will be spent to maintain the Amerindian hostel in Kamarang.
APNU’s Ronald Bulkan said the minister’s explanation that this provision was moved from public works to regional administration is “a very alarming development”. He stated that there seems to be a deliberate policy to marginalize the elected element of the RDC’s.
Nevertheless, Minister Persaud noted that the RDC presides at the policy level over all programmes under the regional administration.
“There is nothing that restrains or restricts the Regional Democratic Council, the elected officials…from seeking to exercise policy directions and perform their duties as prescribed under the statute over any and every programme,” he stressed.
Alliance For Change (AFC) MP, Trevor Williams, questioned the $1M increase for fuel and lubricants under Regional Administration and Finance, which was increased from last year’s $2.5M to $3.5 M this year.
The minister stated that the allocation has been increased to cater for an additional ATV and another vehicle which was not previously in operation.
APNU’S Volda Lawrence questioned the increase in the provision for telephone charges from $150,000 to $650,000 under Public Works for Region 7. Minister Persaud pointed out that in 2012, a number of satellite services were available to various villages, and that the government did not capture budgetary provisions to tap into these services to enhance the efficiency by which this service is delivered in the region.
Meanwhile, under the education budget for the region, $16M has been allocated for security services for all the schools in Bartica and the Waramadong Secondary School. According to the minister, it will cover security services for secondary schools for 24 hours, and for primary and nursery schools for 16 hours.
In addition, $5.8M has been provided for training and scholarships for Region 7, an increase from last year’s $4.5M. The minister related that this money is intended to fund a series of cluster workshops for teachers and teachers in training, which will target curriculum development, child friendly schools, and more parent/teacher association collaboration, among other aspects.
As for Region 8, AFC’s Moses Nagamootoo asked Minister Persaud whether there were any consultations on the estimates submitted for this region with the chairman and members of the RDC. The minister replied in the affirmative, noting that there were consultations to the extent that the council submitted an additional request which was taken into consideration and became part of the package submitted to the Finance Ministry.
In a move that is very unpopular in the consideration of estimates, Government’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira also rose to ask a question of Minister Persaud. She enquired whether the documents that came from the Region 8 RDC relating to their 2013 budgetary proposals were signed by the Regional Chairman and the Regional Executive officer (REO).
Minister Persaud related that the estimates themselves are not required to have the signature of the elected officials, although sometimes some officials would volunteer their signatures. He said he is not sure whether they were signed by both persons, but he can say that they had to be signed by a representative.