-Westford

Faced with criticisms such as corruption and abuse of power, Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford yesterday said the government is taking steps to deal with the problem.

“We do acknowledge that there is corruption in the public service,” Westford said as debate on the 2010 Budget began in the National Assembly. She said the ministry is implementing mechanisms to deal with this until it is eradicated.

She was at the time responding to AFC MP Sheila Holder, who, in one of the shortest presentations, said there is nothing in this year’s budget that addresses the major issues confronting Guyanese. She cited such concerns as corruption in government and misuse of power by officials. “This process has become a charade,” declared Holder. She asserted that the 2010 Budget fails to take prevailing conditions into consideration and is doomed to be ineffectual. Holder proceeded to ask several questions of the administration, including one regarding government’s failure to implement the National Procurement Commission.

Meanwhile, in commending the budget, Westford stated that this year, the ministry will accelerate the training of eligible candidates in various fields. Climate Change courses will also be incorporated into the staff development calendar this year.

Westford spoke on developments expected in Region Seven this year, including a housing

scheme to be constructed at Five Miles, Bartica “which will be housing hundreds of persons.” She said that drains will be constructed along the Bartica-Potaro road and a well will be dug for the Three Miles Secondary. Among other things, she said, the Three Miles Primary School will be upgraded.

PNCR-1G Parliamen-    tarian Desmond Fernandes took the government to task over the shortage of teachers in Region One, stating that at a school at Matthews Ridge, there were 238 students and four teachers. Regarding the North West ferries, he stated that these are older than many of the parliamentarians and there are lots of problems with them. He expressed hope that government would consider a “roll on/roll off” vessel for the region.

School bus service

Speaking after him, Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir noted that his ministry, of all the others, has received the largest percentage increase over 2009 at 14% in this year’s budget. He said that training of the workforce is the biggest winner.

Nadir said the ministry, this year, aims to “assault frontally” several areas. Noting that this year, two persons working at dangerous heights have died, he stated that there is need for new standards. He said, the ministry will move to have those in the construction registered and aims to halve the number of school drop-outs.

A programme that will begin shortly, the minister said, is the activation of two Coaster buses that will take children to school free. The buses will run on the Linden/ Soesdyke highway; the boundaries of the service being between the edge of Linden and at Soesdyke. Also, this year, the ministry will be piloting a very aggressive programme to energize cooperatives, the minster stated.

In her presentation, PNCR MP Africo Selman called for tax reform noting that no mention was made of this in the budget. She proposed that the personal income tax threshold be raised. She also pointed out that unemployment pervades all areas of the country and job creation is not mentioned in this year’s budget. Speaking on sports, she declared that government does not appear to be serious in implementing a National Youth Policy.

She lamented the lack of facilities and the neglect of these where they are present. Selman suggested that government invite private initiatives for the development of sports grounds and infrastructure given that “government seems unable to do this” on its own.