FINANCIAL estimates in the amount of $$4,168,540 for Region 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne) were Monday evening approved in the National Assembly.

Under Administration and Finance, the sum of $120,084 was allocated, for agriculture -$577,268, public works- $283,244, education – $2,128,782 and health- $1,059,162 for 2013.
Enquiries were made by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Christopher Jones, about increases in amounts for funds for contract workers. Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Ganga Persaud explained that while some staff had left the job, others were hired. These include two deputy Regional Executive Officers (REOs) one of whom is responsible for finance, an Assistant REO, and two accountants, among others.
The sum of $7.5M for rehabilitation works was raised by Alliance For Change (AFC) leader Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister Persaud responded that the Guyana House, Administration building and the personnel buildings in New Amsterdam would be the recipient of the intended works.
Dr Verasammy Ramayya, also of the AFC, questioned the spending of $200M for lubricants and fuel. Minister Persaud, in response, referred to the extensive fleet of vehicles including heavy-duty equipment such as excavators, pick-up trucks and several drainage pumps. It was also pointed out that a Hymac excavator was left in a farming area in a state of disrepair, and the minister promised to investigate this claim.
APNU’s MP Volda Lawrence then asked the minister to reassure the House as to what measures would be taken to ensure that the fuel misappropriation, reported to be about $25M in the Auditor General’s report, would not recur. Minister Persaud then explained that several changes have been made, such as the use of a metering system, re-centralised fuel distribution operations and the placement of senior officers at Whim to monitor the operations, to ensure no recurrence.
Highlighting the much needed repairs to the East Bank, Berbice Road, which had attracted recent protests by residents, Minister Persaud said that the government will spend $38.9M to effect these repairs and listed the sections to be targeted and the types of surfaces. The question as to why there would be different surfaces to the road was raised by APNU member Carl Greenidge. This was duly noted by the minister who undertook to provide an answer, given that the road initially comprised one specific type of asphaltic surface.
The issue of accountability was also raised by Greenidge and Minister Persaud noted that all works contracts were, or will be signed in the presence of representatives within the various specific communities. This will empower those who will benefit directly and assist in the beneficiaries being able to monitor the works.
A slight uproar was created in the House when APNU’s Maipaul Sharma claimed that a former Region 6 REO, Desmond Kissoon was being employed at Office of the President at approximately $1M, and when asked to produce his evidence, presented a copy of the Hansard to the Deputy Speaker Debra Backer. This was disputed by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, along with his junior minister Juan Edghill, who said that a corrected version was available. A few minutes later, the Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs produced a corrected version, and Sharma then offered an apology to the House, which was accepted by the Deputy Speaker.
For Region 6, $124 M is to be spent again to provide adequate access, drainage and irrigation support systems to farming communities and residents across the region. This will see the rehabilitation of canals, bridges, dams and sluices, revetment, rehabilitation of bridges and the excavation of canals at No. 51 and Essex villages.
The Ministry of Local Government will spend $121.2M on bridges, roads, and land development, $67.8 M under the Education Capital Programme to execute the following projects: the Albion Front Nursery School, Phase 11; annex at Lower Corentyne Secondary School; sanitary block at Belvedere Primary School; extension of Berbice High school; and provision of school furniture such as nursery sets, desks, benches, chalkboards, cupboards, lunch kit racks, chairs, tables, mattresses, bed frames and suites.
The sum of $63.6M will be expended on health buildings, land and water transport and health furniture and equipment. Catered for are the rehabilitation of doctors’ quarters at Mibicuri and Skeldon, construction of a kitchen at Mibicuri Hospital and shed at Berbice Regional Health Authority Building, rehabilitation of Mibicuri Hospital mortuary and Baracara Health Centre, and doctors’ quarters at New Amsterdam, purchase of an ATV, a boat and outboard engine for Orealla and Siparuta, provision of ultrasound machines, cardiac monitors, pulse oximeters, X-ray machines and benches.