-In spite of opposition non-cooperation

THE Region 5 (Mahaica-Berbice) administration has completed its work programme for 2019, even in the face of attempts to stymie the developmental projects.

According to the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Ovid Morrison, they were able to ensure that services were more accessible to residents while maximising the resources available. “The Mahaica-Berbice Region ought to be tremendously proud of what we achieved because the entire opposition section of our region has opposed every single programme that we brought forth and had it not been for the people from the 10 NDCs and the populace of the region we would not have been able to achieve what we did in 2019,” Morrison revealed.

He added that having completed its work programme the regional administration also embarked on other projects with savings garnered from the budget. “We established two new cottage facilities, what you would call health centres with modern facilities. We were able to modernise the Mahaicony Hospital where we can now deal with emergencies and even after-surgery care while at the same time we are in a position to stabilise the person before we take them to the respective wards.”

In the education sector, the renovations were done to the Bygeval Secondary School at the cost of $11Million and the Belladrum Secondary School at a cost $12Million. Concerning the work of the local government bodies in the region, the REO explained that the regional administration assisted the NDCs with roads in their respective areas.

“Through capital funding, the regional administration was able to acquire the equipment necessary to assist with road maintenance. So, during 2019, we asked the NDCs from their subventions to purchase the stone, asphalt or the tar and we will send the equipment and the technical people to help in repairing the respective streets in the area.”

Meanwhile, in the agriculture sector, the region’s model farm had set the benchmark in terms of its production capacity and overall benefits to the Mahaica-Berbice area. Region 5 has been a major supplier of produce to other regions while remaining self-sufficient.

Additionally, other persons involved in cash-crop farming or maintaining kitchen gardens were continually engaged through the model farm project Morrison said. He disclosed that “….Also, we go beyond that; we try to teach through our farm project how we can actually utilise the produce that cannot be marketed, signalling the implementation of our pig industry. So those items that cannot go to the market, the piggery would utilise that.” Morrison said the 2019 budget of $3.7Billion was fully utilised and they were looking ahead to continued progress in the region. (DPI)