TWO new schools are to be constructed at Bamia, Region 10, Upper Demerara -Upper Berbice in 2019.

This was disclosed during consideration of the estimates for Region 10, for which over $3.9B was approved in the Committee of Supply Thursday evening. Defending the 2019 budgetary allocations was Minister within the Ministry of Communities Valerie Patterson-Yearwood. However, this was not before it was placed under the microscope by members of the opposition.

The minister said construction of the schools signals the government’s commitment to continuous improvement of education delivery. The region’s education sector received the bulk of the budgetary allocations, a total of $2.5B.

Of that amount, provisions will be made for the construction of a nursery and a primary school at Bamia. Recreational areas will also be constructed at Children’s Garden, Kwakwani Waterfront and Wiruni Nursery Schools to make them more child-friendly. Water systems at LICHAS and Watooka Day Primary schools and incinerators at Kwakwani and Amelia’s Ward student hostels will also be constructed.

The health sector also received a large sum amounting to $730.6M. Patients visiting the Upper Demerara Regional Hospital will find an upgraded facility, as the building is slated to be rehabilitated at a cost of $14M. Additionally, another river ambulance will be purchased at a cost of $20Million to ply the Demerara River. This will be added to another river ambulance acquired last year that currently services the Berbice River area. Electrical works are also slated for the Rivers View and Ebini health posts.

The region will also see significant infrastructural development, as it was allocated over $348M for that sector. This will make possible the construction of a bridge at Kara Kara, upgrading of roads at Wisroc, Block 22, Kara Kara, Silver City and Christianburg and upgrading of drainage systems, including structures at One Mile Extension Area and Silverballi.

Additionally, the sum of $51.7M was allocated to Region 10 for agricultural purposes. However, when questioned by the opposition as to why the monies are being allocated, the minister highlighted that after years of making requests, this year is the first time the region will be able to manage its own agricultural programme.

Monuments
Meanwhile, Patterson-Yearwood refuted claims that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) had collected donations to construct the Linden Martyr’s Monument in the mining town of Linden. The minister instead contended that $5 million has been allocated for construction of the monument in the $3.9 billion budget which was approved by the Committee of Supply for Region 10.

Opposition Member of Parliament Juan Edghill questioned the minister about the collection of funds during consideration of the budget estimates on Thursday. “Was the minister aware that a fund was launched by the previous chairman of the RDC to collect money from persons overseas and in Guyana?” Edghill questioned.

In response, Minister Patterson-Yearwood said the RDC has never collected money from anyone and the current allocations would come from the national treasury. “I am saying I am not aware about a project to collect money…if the chairman or council collected any money in their capacity it is not my business,” said the minister, adding that a total of $8.5 million was budgeted for the construction of monuments in Region 10, $5 million of which would be for the Linden Martyrs’ Monument and $3.5 million for the Son Chapman Monument.

Minister Patterson-Yearwood said she was a member of the RDC but she left in 2011 but, as a resident of Linden she was unaware of the collection of funds. Among other major projects which have been budgeted for in the Region Ten budget is the construction of a bridge at Kara Kara to the tune of $10.8 million. Also in the pipeline for 2019 is the upgrading of roads at Wisroc, Silver City, Christianburg, Block 22 and Kara.