RESIDENTS living in Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam) will soon be experiencing tremendous transformation in almost all sectors since the Region’s Tender Board (RTB) has completed the awarding of its capital projects for 2018.
This is according to Regional Executive Officer (REO), Rupert Hopkinson, who said 2018 is a truly transformational period for Region Two and residents can expect significant infrastructural changes.
He said that all of the capital projects have been awarded except those that have to go to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board. Current projects, he said, are now being advertised. “All we need to develop Region Two is co-operation from the various NDCs and the RDC. One beautiful thing is that we are prepared to work this year with them to make things happen,” Hopkinson said.
Some of the Capital projects awarded included rehabilitation of State House Anna Regina Phase 4; rehabilitation of South Gate Westbury; rehabilitation of Unu Creek sluice; construction of a timber revetment at Riverstown Creek Phase 2; rehabilitation of drainage and canal embankment at Amazon, Charity; rehabilitation of box culvert at Perseverance; upgrading of road network at Cotton Field compound; and the rehabilitation of the Oscar Joseph Hospital at Charity, among other projects.
The Region had saved $118,280,485 from its Capital budget and $131,338,854 from its Current projects last year. Those monies, the REO said, were used to further develop the Region, especially to offer improved drainage and irrigation.
“Giving power to the NDCs”
This year the Region will be passing the majority of the responsibilities to the five Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), which will lead to their improving their functioning. The NDC will act as the ‘Clerk of Works’ for projects conducted within their areas on behalf of the Regional Administration and will be paid for doing so.
“The NDC will be paid to monitor projects; the engineer will also do his part, but the engineer cannot see everything, so we have to get people from the NDC to be part and parcel,” Hopkinson said.
The REO further stated that with the revenues that will be earned from the monitoring of projects, more development can take place within their communities. He further explained that the Region also intends to have more consultative outreaches within the communities, especially before the commencement of the projects.
