By Ariana Gordon

THE Government side of the Parliamentary Committee of Supply faced a gruelling set of questions from the Opposition before the eventual approval of the $14.534 billion budget for the security sector was eventually passed.The most questions came from Opposition spokesperson on security, Clement Rohee. In considering the estimates line by line, Rohee asked subject Minister Khemraj Ramjattan to indicate to the House the number of persons who would be housed in the Brick Prison at the Camp Street Prison.

The Public Security Minister, in response, said the facility will be completed by July this year, and is expected to house approximately 325 high profile prisoners.

Rohee called on Ramjattan to account for an increase of approximately $33M for maintenance of buildings.

The minister responded by saying the increase is as a result of renovation works to 13 buildings; the rehabilitation of electrical systems at all prisons; and painting, renovation of the ground floor, Medex quarters, renovation of the DDoP residence, male bachelors’ quarters, spinsters’ quarters, the officers’ sports club, and living quarters as well as renovations to the Mazaruni Prisons.

Another $50,000 bonus?
Opposition Member of Parliament Joseph Hamilton questioned Minister Ramjattan on the $4.1B allocated by the Ministry for the payment of remuneration. Ramjattan, in response, said the allocations do not cater for an additional $50,000 bonus, as was granted to all public servants earning less than $500,000 monthly in December; nor did it cater to a 20 per cent increase in salary for ranks of the Guyana Police Force.

The Public Security Minister was quick to point out that he was not in a position to state whether workers attached to his ministry will benefit from another one-off $50,000 bonus. “At this stage, I can’t say. It doesn’t appear so,” he told the House.

Prisoners’ food
A total of $350M was approved by the House to feed prisoners. Asked by Rohee to tell the House the amount of money spent by the administration to feed prisoners, Minister Ramjattan said $485,000 are spent on food supplied to one prisoner annually. He noted, however, that the amount may soon reduce, as Government is working to ensure that the Guyana Prison Service is self-sufficient.

“We have to ensure that the prisoners are taken care of,” he said, noting that an agricultural programme will be embarked upon to ensure the self-sufficiency of the Prison Service. Additionally, the minister said a uniform for an inmate of the Guyana Prison Service costs $2500.

Equipment, arms and Ammunition
$235M were approved for the purchase of equipment, arms and ammunition; but not without questions. The Public Security Minister told the House that $48.8M of the $235M will be used to purchase arms and ammunition only.

Relocation of CANU
Opposition Member Rohee questioned Minister Ramjattan on the apparent increase of approximately $20M for contracted employees under the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU). “How is it that $39M can be spent in 8 months”, and whether they can spend $39M in four months? “Is it a question of increased salaries, or is it a question of increased staff?” asked the Opposition MP.

Ramjattan in response, said the increase in allocation is as a result of increased salaries that were “approved structural increases” that became effective in January 2015.

Asked to specify the maintenance work to be conducted at CANU headquarters, the Minister said, “It caters for the capping of the entire bottom flat of the present building, repairs to the roof and reinforcing the gate at CANU headquarters, Home Stretch Avenue.”

Rohee then asked the minister whether it is envisaged that CANU would be housed in a new building to be constructed, or will they be relocated.

“There is some concern about its relocation to accommodate a certain ministry; the decision is still to be made. If that is made by Cabinet, we will definitely have to make a new building; but this $29M for the construction of the building was for the compound there…another section,” Ramjattan said in response to the Opposition MP.
Rohee expressed his concern on the matter, and asked whether CANU would be merged with the Police Narcotics Unit, but the minister assured the former minister of Home Affairs that “CANU will retain its full autonomy, and will be separate from the Guyana Police Narcotics Unit.”