By Svetlana Marshall

NEGLECTED for far too long, Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) is poised for great things with major infrastructural projects catered for in this year’s budget, according to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) + Alliance for Change Member of Parliament Audwin Rutherford.The upgrading of the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, the Linden-Lethem Road and the Linden-Kwakwani Road will directly impact the lives of the people of Region 10, Rutherford said during the opening day of the budget debates in the National Assembly on Monday.
“Mr Speaker, on May 11, 2015, that blessed day for the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, we inherited almost all the roads in Region 10 in desrepair, both internal and external. Linden/Soesdyke, Linden-Ituni-Kwakwani, Linden-Mabura-Lethem….(but) we have started to fix them and will continue…,” he assured the House.
Approximately $6.72B has been allocated for the improvement of several hinterland, rural and urban community roads including the Ituni-Kwakwani Road.

HIGHWAY REHAB
Additionally, the Government, through the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is collaborating with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to facilitate the rehabilitation of the 47-year-old Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
Concurrently, maintenance works will be undertaken on the Linden-Kwakwani corridor, but it is the aim of the Government to have the road fully paved, thereby opening access to communities in Ituni, Aroraima, Kwakwani, Ebini, Kimbia and other remote areas along the Berbice River.
“Mr. Speaker, Block 22, a community existing as long as the previous administration was in office, was completely off the developmental agenda, they are now on and we will not only upgrade their roads but this budget makes provision for a survey of the poor drainage system,” Rutherford added, noting that these projects will bring much relief to the ever-expanding community.
Additionally, a sum of $30.8M has been budgeted to improve drainage and irrigation at Wismar, Hymara, and Old England.

REPAIR OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS
In the area of education, Rutherford pointed out that three secondary schools, namely Mackenzie High School, Wismar Christianburg Secondary and Linden Foundation Secondary will undergo significant repairs, while the One Mile Primary School will have a trestle constructed, all to the tune of $82M.
“Our education delivery is also adversely affected by lack of transportation, Mr Speaker and the sum of $6M will bring much relief particularly to schools in the wider reaches,” he said, adding that a further allocation of $15M will be used to purchase furniture and equipment.
The $61.5M budgeted for the Regional Health Sector is also a welcomed move, the APNU+AFC Parliamentarian noted.
Meanwhile Regional Member of Parliament Haimraj Rajkumar applauded Finance Minister Winston Jordan on a job well done, positing that the allocations for Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) will significantly benefit residents in the areas of agriculture, health and education.
While acknowledging that El Nino or the “dry season” is severely affecting the agriculture sector, particularly the rice industry, Rajkumar said farmers are comforted by the fact that the Government is putting measures in place to bring relief to the affected farmers.
In Region Two, $44.846M has been budgeted for the completion of the regulator at La Resource, and the sluices at Perth, Hampton Court and Lima.
Additionally, revetments will be constructed at Urasara and Spring Garden. An irrigation check at Huist’ Dieren, tail wall at Queenstown and a culvert at Bounty Hall will also be constructed.
The $44.846M will complement the $58M that was spent by the Government in 2015 for the commencement of the project which is slated to be completed by December 31, 2016. Upon completion, this drainage and irrigation project will improve agricultural yields, drainage and irrigation facilities and access to farmlands.
Just recently, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo commissioned a drainage pump at Lima and according to Rajkumar the pump will see more than 3,000 acres of land being drained.
In the field of education approximately $233M has been budgeted to boost the sector while $92M will be utilised in the area of health for the construction of an accident and emergency unit at the Charity Hospital, a waiting room at the Suddie Hospital, and a health post at Onderneeming.
People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Members of Parliament Zulfikar Mustapha and Cornel Damon, who pulled out the ‘race card’ and was subsequently condemned, were among those who spoke on Monday during the commencement of the 2016 budget debates.