TENDERS for projects under the Region Five Neighbourhood Democratic Council’s (NDC) $4M subvention programme are being evaluated and should be awarded to contractors by next week.The NDCs benefitting from the statutory subventions are Blairmont/Gelderland, Rosignol/Zeelust, Bel Air/Woodlands, Bath/Woodley Park, Union/Naarstigheid, Tempie/Seafield, Profit/Rising, Mahaicony/Abary, Hamlet/Chance and Woodlands/Farm.

Government and Opposition candidates for the Bel Air Woodlands and Woodlands/Farm NDCs tied at the Local Government Elections earlier this year and the chairmanship for these two NDCs is yet to be decided

The subvention projects identified by the NDCs include upgrading of streets in their villages, construction of foot bridges, filling and landscaping playgrounds, rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures for erosion control and construction of earthen embankments, among others.

In the 2016 budget, some $157M was allocated for the 10 NDCs.

The projects they have been executing other than those funded by the subventions include desilting and maintenance of drains and trenches,  weeding of parapets, maintenance of burial grounds, collection and disposal of garbage,  erection of street barriers, and contributions to schools and senior citizens programmes,  among others.

Execution of these non-subvention projects is heavily dependent on the amount of rates and taxes they are able to collect from taxpayers within their jurisdictions.