THE first meeting of the recently reconciled Regional Democratic Council  of Region Five  (Mahaica/Berbice)  held on Monday last  was deemed a success  after councillors unanimously approved of the Administrations’ budget proposals for 2017 .The meeting of the opposition People’s Progressive Party /Civic councillors and APNU+AFC councillors, the first in seven months, was held in an atmosphere of cordiality. Regional Executive Officer Mr Ovid Morrison invited  his senior staffers to present their budget proposals to the councillors  under the headings of  Administration, Education, Health, Drainage and Irrigation  and Public Works.
The budget proposals were examined by the councillors and thoroughly discussed during a four-hour-long meeting, after which they were approved with some amendments and adjustments.
Regional Chairman Mr Vickchand Ramphal said that he was happy with the projects selected, although he would have liked to see additional programmes proposed by residents.
He also congratulated the staff of the Administration comprising the REO Morrison and his team for doing a fine job in their compilation  and presentation of the proposed estimates.
At a quick glance,  proposals for the administrative programme include the training of overseers in the  10 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to help them to computerise basic operations such as assessment registers.
Under Health, the RDC proposed the construction of a new Health Centre at Carlton Hall, Mahaicony,  to serve residents in west and central Mahaicony; upgrading of the electricity supply and potable water supply at the Mahaicony Hospital  and the construction of a training facility for health workers among others.
REO Morrision disclosed that steps will be taken to ensure that the hospitals and health centres in the region make access to their services easier for the elderly and the physically challenged.
Business people will also be encouraged to make their premises similarly more easily accessible by these seniors and the physically challenged.
Under education, the budget proposed the construction of a new nursery school at Perth Village, Mahaicony and the reconstruction of a primary school at Augsburg Burma Road, east Mahaicony, among others.
The budget also requested funds for the further upgrades to the Nursery and Primary Schools at Mortice, Mahaicony.
Under Public Works, the council proposed the upgrade of several community roads throughout the region, including farm-to-market roads as well as the construction of bridges to improve access within various communities.
The  RDC also proposed the provision of more sluices and the  acquisition of excavators to minimize flooding within the various communities and at the same time maintain the clearing of channels.
The budget also proposed increasing the frequency of cleaning of drains within the region to alleviate the problem of siltation and blockage caused by aquatic weeds.
Councillors said they were pleased that the projects have been evenly distributed, so as to benefit all  communities in the region.
The approved proposals will be sent to the Ministry of Communities and then subsequently to the Ministry of Finance for inclusion in the 2017 budget.