-as House clears region’s $3.1B budget

THE development of human capital via the formal education system is to be placed high on the agenda for Region 10 (Upper Demerara – Berbice) in 2017, after $1.8B was approved for education delivery in the region by the Committee of Supply on Tuesday.

After being thoroughly scrutinised by the political opposition, the $3.1B allocation for the region in 2017 was approved. Defending the allocation which increased by over $100M from 2016, was junior Minister of Communities, Valarie Sharpe-Patterson.

With $76.733M provided for under the region’s capital education programme, the minister was quizzed by Opposition MP Juan Edghill on what this money will be spent on. She revealed that a $20M Grade C Nursery school and a $22M primary school will be built at Bamia.

Additionally, the minister noted that the provision covers the completion of the Wismar/Christiansburg and Linden Foundation Secondary schools to the tune of $18.5M and $15.42M respectively. The minister also pointed out that repairs to the former were funded under the region’s current education programme, but due to the extensive repair works that is needed, budgetary allocations are now listed under the region’s education capital programme. She informed the House too, that much needs to be done in ensuing years, due to the fact that major repairs to these schools were not a regular feature in previous years.

Earlier this year, the Region also received a whopping $1.8B for education, which was intended to be used for equipping schools and other educational institutions. Procurement of appliances, furniture and classroom materials was also cited as a main component of the education allocation for 2016.

Additionally, several schools in the region benefitted from the newly-introduced computer labs furnished with computer systems. But infrastructure development in that region for 2017 is not limited to capital projects in the education sector. In fact, $368M was approved for public infrastructure development with an emphasis on roads.

Roads in that region, which will be upgraded in 2017, include; Clemfield, One Mile Access, Greenheart Street/David Rose Avenue, and Daagarad Avenue. Upgrades will also be done to the drainage systems at Manni Street, Wismar, Clemfield, Ballfield and Henderson road.

Also expected to be completed in 2017, is a $50M Regional Administrative Office at Mackenzie, Linden. The 156 sq. ft. building will benefit more than 75 persons. The Minister justified this capital project, by informing the Committee that the new building, will, inter alia, house all departments under the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), since this does not currently obtain.

The health sector for that region also received a substantial amount of funding to assist with capital and current expenditure for 2017. Of the $640M approved for that sector, $81M was budgeted for capital projects, which include completion of a health centre at Wiruni, the construction of living quarters for medical officials at Hururu, Ituni and Blueberry, and the construction of a reservoir at the Upper Demerara Regional Hospital.

Region 10 has had issues over the last two years with slow spending, and in 2015, monies were sent back because of the incomplete nature of projects before December 31. The region is being guided by a five-year Plan-of-Action for Regional Development (PARD) which has on its agenda several major infrastructural works.