While close to $100 million of the $1 billion Rural Development Fund approved in last year’s national budget has been spent, the government yesterday said it has found no proposal or documentation for the sum spent or on what was planned for the way forward under the fund. Minister of State Joseph Harmon, speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency said Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin had informed Cabinet of this and a decision was taken to have the fund reviewed.
He explained that the fund was approved in the 2014 budget and was managed by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce. He said the $1 billion fund was expected to create employment in rural communities. Harmon also indicated that Gaskin, upon reviewing the status of the project, found that some work was being done at Wakenaam, Leguan, Tuschen and at Enmore. The projects at Wakenaam and Leguan, he said, had to do with the establishment of a plantain chip factory and call centres.
“What was amazing was that as at the 30th June 2015, over $20 million had been spent on the