MINISTER of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Norman Whittaker, last week, gave an update on the construction of both the Arasowa and the Mountain Foot health posts in Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni).

He said the estimated $9M Arasowa building was a capital project on which work commenced in 2010 but the contractor, Troy Dainty failed to complete the job and, as such, legal advice is being sought on the matter by the ministry.
The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) expects to complete this erection under its current 2014 Work Programme.
“The concrete building is 50 percent complete at present,” the minister said.
About Mountain Foot, Whittaker said that it is a Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) undertaking and that agency did advise that the contract was terminated.
The minister said BNTF did experience difficulty in securing additional funding for its completion but, having secured some, Vishal Contracting Service was hired to complete the job.
Only recently, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) had issued a statement claiming that Region 8, the country’s fifth largest administrative region, possesses no proper roads, “despite the Government’s Safari.”
The statement charged that the “entire region remains virtually inaccessible by road and is dependent on expensive air transport for travelling, evacuation of medical patients and cargo.”
The Opposition party urged the Government to address the matter as one of high priority.
APNU had pointed to “the need for a comprehensive developmental plan and for the Central Government to, immediately, respect the constitutional role of the Regional Democratic Council in administering the region.”
As such, Minister Whittaker assured that work on the Mountain Foot Health Post, in the said region, is expected to commence on April 25, with a five weeks duration for its completion.
By Ravin Singh