–REO says 95% of capital works completed

By Vanessa Braithwaite

REGIONAL Executive Officer of Region 10, Gavin Clarke, has reported that infrastructural works, which saw a budgetary allocation of $412M for capital works, are 95% completed.

Dispelling the erroneous contention being peddled around Linden that the Regional Democratic Council is slow in spending the total 2016 budgetary allocation of $3.5B, the REO explained that this particular sum of money includes the employment cost for the region, totalling $1.4B, and money to be spent across the four programmes — administration, health, education and agriculture, a total of $1.1B.

CAPITAL WORKS
Clarke contends that 95% of the projects under capital works have been tendered and awarded, and 80% of those infrastructural works — which include construction of roads and drains — have been set in progress.

“For example: under our road programme in the capital budget, we had approximately eight roads to be constructed. Of the eight roads, five would have been successfully completed, and the other three are just about 75% complete,” Clarke said.

In addition to these, drainage and shoulder works have been completed on Independence Avenue and Pine Street, he said. He revealed that some difficulty had been experienced with tardy contractors, whom he had to admonish to be more efficient.

Clarke expressed gratitude to residents who are yet to see road construction completed in their communities, and guaranteed those residents that the RDC would be working collaboratively with the contractors to have the works not only completed, but to the standard required; as he would not be paying any contractor for substandard work.
Some works that had been awarded to contractors would be re-tendered if they are not completed by early October, he added.

“So, all in all, the work programme as per say 90% of the projects would have been awarded, and it is now for the contractors to deliver as committed,” he said. There are also several infrastructural maintenance works that have been completed in the Region, he disclosed.

For educational development, the budget has allocated one billion, eight hundred and four million, seven hundred and sixty-six thousand dollars ($1,804,766,000), he explained.

Chairperson of the Regional Education Committee, Denise Belgrave, had previously told residents that priority would be given to equipping schools and other educational institutions throughout the region with various appliances, furniture and classroom materials. Several schools would also be outfitted with computer labs which have sufficient computer systems, she said. Teachers’ and students’ hostels would also be provided with home appliances and furniture.

“Under education, we have a large input that will make our schools in Region 10 more conducive for teachers and students, and we trust that we will be able to make all of these things possible under our budget,” Ms. Belgrave posited.

The platform administration has received an allocation of two hundred and twenty-five million, five hundred and fifty-six thousand dollars ($225,556,000), and this money would see agriculture playing a pivotal role in the region.

And according to Chairman of the agriculture committee, Douglas Gittens, this money was allocated for the construction of access roads from farms, so as to reduce the pressure on farmers who have to transport their produce to the market. With this money, several creeks would also be dredged, and farmers would be provided with seedlings of several produce. Already, 3,000 seedlings have already been given out.

REO Gavin Clarke also revealed that the farm-to-market road in West Watooka has been completed, as have been the revetment control works in Old England. He said that what had happened in previous years would not recur, in that the region intends not to have money allocated unspent and therefore having to be returned to the treasury.

PLANS FOR 2017
Regional Chairman Renis Morian revealed that, for the 2017 budget, emphasis would be placed on execution of the region’s Plan of Action for Regional Development (PARD). PARD is a five-year plan which would see major infrastructural development in Region 10 over the next five years.

The Region has already secured $10M from Central Government for the design and consultation phase of the construction of a new RDC Building, which would allow for the efficient execution of PARD. Some computers have already been secured for this new office. According to Morian, the 2017 phase of PARD would see construction of a multipurpose building for youths; development of the agricultural sector, and rehabilitation of the Linden airstrip.