Region Six is expected to feature even more prominently in Guyana’s development this year with $3.2 billion budgeted for current and capital works and optimism high for an oil find when CGX starts to drill offshore.
According to a Govern-ment Information Agency (GINA) press release focus will be on further development in the agriculture, health, education and the public works sectors in East Berbice/Corentyne with the 9% increase in allocation over last year’s figure. Region Six Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha said the agriculture sector was given $116M to ensure its sustainability in 2011. The sector had a spending capacity of $97M in 2010 that saw major works such as more land being developed. Over the past four years, productive agricultural land increased by 100%, from 30,000 acres to 60,000 acres.
In 2010, major works were done to develop and maintain drainage and irrigation structures, and other facilities that resulted in greater production. Major irrigation works were done in several flood-prone areas, including the Number 19 village canal and other surrounding communities. The regional chairman also noted that the ministry recently awarded a contract for the construction of a main drainage sluice at the mid-point area in Number 19 village. Mustapha also said the region is equipped with four drainage pumps at Seawell, Borlam, Eversham, Adventure, Number 43 village, Whim and Liverpool.
This year, the allocation in the public works sector has been increased from $49M to $65M, which will cater for the rehabilitation and completion of more community roads and access to farmlands. By mid-2010 all of the road works were completed in Region Six and additional sums were secured from the Ministry of Finance for other works and community roads. Also, over 150 community access roads were paved and rehabilitated under a collaborative works programme between the Office of the President and the public works and finance ministries.
Mustapha said plans are in train to continue this trend this year under the Urban Roads Project where 76 roads across the township are expected to be rehabilitated. In addition, over 200 community roads are to be fixed this year in new and existing housing schemes under the miscellaneous programme executed through the finance and public works ministries through the RDCs. “Road works on the east and west Canje access have been completed and works have started on the 22 miles access road in Black Bush Polder,” he said, noting that $15M is to be spent to rehabilitate and maintain the East Bank Berbice road from Everton to Mara. Meanwhile under other works, a contract will be signed to complete 35 additional roads in the other neighbourhood democratic councils.
