– to complete all its 100+ projects by year-end

AS the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Region Ten forges ahead with spending the $3.9B it has been allocated in the 2019 Budget, Regional Executive Officer (REO) Orrin Gordon told the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday that over 100 projects, both capital and recurring, have thus far been tendered.
This apparent race against time to get work done, he said, is part of the regional admistration’s plan to have all the projects they have come up with awarded by the first half of the year, so that the residents of Region Ten can begin to see true value for their money.

“We are hoping that by the end of June, all the capital, and most of the recurring projects, would have been awarded, or at least be at the point of being tendered,” he said.
This is as opposed to in the past, where there were instances when monies had to be sent back to the Consolidated Fund because projects were not being put up for tender and awarded in a timely manner. To remedy the situation, the RDC took a different approach this year by utilising the Regional Tender Board for the smaller projects, to which $900M have been allocated. “We are trying to finish almost all of our capital projects before the first half, as against going to the National Tender Board. Once it comes to the regional tender system, that means it is moving a little faster, and that is what is happening right now,” he said.

Much larger projects, however, such as the construction of the Amelia’s Ward Nursery and Primary schools, have been tendered at the national level. Among other major capital projects for 2019 is the sole-sourcing of a river ambulance that is expected to serve riverine communities up the Demerara River. Last year, the RDC purchased a river ambulance to serve communities up the Berbice River, and that ambulance was handed over last month by Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence.

Gordon also related that for 2019, over 300 contractors have been prequalified for contracts, and the RDC has been pushing for local content, which means that we’re seeing more than 20% of the local contractors being awarded small contracts. On Wednesday, some contractors corroborated the REO’s story, and related that the move is having a ripple effect on the Linden economy, in that just about everybody is getting on a piece of the pie, so to speak. Some of the projects that have already been awarded are for the rehabilitation of over 20 roads, drains and other public infrastructure. School and other public buildings are also to be maintained and rehabilitated, while the contracts for the supplies needed for the various sectors have also been awarded.

In addition to works being done in Linden, REO Gordon related that of the some $50M in contracts that have been tendered, a good bit will go towards projects in the region’s riverine communities. These projects, he said, are being awarded to the leaders and residents of those communities at reference.

And while the focus may be on contracts for projects, Gordon said that value is also being given to the community in a much larger way, by way of the $1.9M allocated for salaries to be paid to the 1,100 employees registered in the regional system.

The RDC is the largest employer in Linden, with teachers, nurses, health workers, community workers etc on its payroll, and if this spending power is taken away from the region, the economy will be crippled. The second largest employer in Linden is Bosai Minerals. “That is not something to basically dismiss, without any due regard,” Gordon said, adding: “That is something that is critical; it is important. It adds to the community, because all the teachers, the nurses, from the health workers, there are over 11,00 employees working in the regional system. That is significant; it is not something to basically gloss over. It is quite significant; we need to take cognisance of that.” He was the first to agree, however, that employment through the RDC should not be the only driver of the economy, as the private entities should also play a pivotal role in the community’s economic development.

The $3.9B allocation is a more than $500M increase on that of 2018. And with agriculture being the new kid on the bloc this time around, that alone accounts for a whopping $22.7M.