By Vanessa Braithwaite
THE administrative division of the Transport and Harbours Department will, in 2017, undergo major structural reorientation geared towards alleviating malpractices and financial misconduct that occurred in the past and had stymied progress of the department, Junior Public Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson disclosed in her budget debate presentation.Ferguson told the House that the Transport and Harbours Department, one of the oldest river transport agencies in Guyana, continues to suffer in many ways, and is finding it difficult to even serve citizens who are highly dependent on river transport. To curb this situation, she said, the Public Infrastructure Ministry (MPI) has commenced implementing a strategy under the theme “Transport for a sustainable future; restructure, reinvigorate, reposition”, which will implement needed changes in management operations, procurement and customer services, to obtain financial viability.
“The agency suffered from neglect under the PPP/C Administration, as it was confronted with limited financial (viability) and human resources’ constraints… Our Government inherited malpractice in fuel usage, mishandling of vehicular ferry pass, and severe leakage of revenue from the agency,” Ferguson claimed.
The cap system was implemented in 2016 to monitor fuel consumption, she revealed, but the MPI will abandon this system, and a more robust long-term solution will be initiated.
An Inspection Department that is intended to deal with traffic management, quality, safety and compliance will also be established in 2017; and additional staff will be placed in the audit department in an effort to alleviate all the malpractices that prevailed.
An Advisory Council will also be established, she revealed. “This Council will function as an oversight body, providing supervisory oversight and governance of (the) Transport and Harbours Department, and ensuring that management implements policies to run the day-to-day affairs of the agency in an efficient and proper manner.”
Ferguson further revealed that out of $34.6B budgeted for the MPI, $240M have been allocated for reconditioning of three ferries — the MV Malali, MB Sandaka and MV Lady Northcote. The rehabilitation of stellings in Regions One, Two, Five, Six and Seven will also be done at a cost of $294M. And even as maintenance works continue on the Demerara Harbour Bridge, the minister boasted of the construction of a new bridge being imminent.
Some 23 companies have expressed interest in the feasibility study and design of this new bridge, she said.
“Mr. Speaker, we anticipate an increase in the importation and internal migration (of vehicles), and as a consequence, the usage of the bridge will increase. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, for the first six months in 2017, the final study of a new bridge will be done by a Dutch company and engineering firm from the Netherlands. Thereafter, the tender process for the construction of a new Demerara Harbour Bridge (would commence),” she said.
Ferguson also spoke of renovating several hinterland airstrips and establishing a National Airports Authority of Guyana. “This body will be responsible for the management and overseeing operations for our international and domestic airdromes,” she said.
Several hinterland communities will also benefit from projects that would bring electrification to their villages, as $26M have been allocated for this purpose.
According to Ferguson, the budget is a working class budget, and will allow for a better life for all Guyanese.
