Government has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up Georgetown and enhance communities across the country in addition to creating jobs.
Minister of Finance Winston Jordan in his maiden budget presentation told the National Assembly that $542.7 million has been allocated to fund a remodelled Community Infra-structure Improvement Project (CIIP).
“The aim is to enhance the aesthetics of our communities and to preserve and maintain critical community infrastructure. In 2015, it will create employment for 500 persons in community enhancement activities related to rehabilitating, and maintaining community infrastructure including drains, small bridges and parapets,” he said. The minister added that the allocation will also finance the creation of green spaces in selected areas countrywide, including Bartica. “Once successful, it is anticipated that this initiative will be expanded to more communities across the country,” he asserted.
He also revealed that $300 million has been budgeted for the Georgetown Restoration Programme. “Mr Speaker, our capital, Georgetown, was once recognized as the Garden City. As proud Guyanese, we need to restore Georgetown to its pristine state. This will enhance the aesthetics of our capital befitting of our unique architecture of colonial buildings, tree lined avenues and canals that make it attractive to all you visit. I am sure each of us will feel a sense of pride to live and work and traverse through a capital city that is a place of uplifting beauty, rather than a refuse dump,” he said.
“To assist in the resuscitation of our capital city, we have allocated $300 million for the Georgetown Restoration Programme, encompassing an intense cleanup campaign, while enforcing laws on littering,” Jordan said while adding that the city will be “reclaimed.”
He also revealed that in an effort to directly address sources of extreme poverty, Government will introduce job-creation measures to promote micro and small scale enterprises that will open opportunities for the disadvantaged and youth.
“To this end, Government will introduce the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) initiative aimed at stimulating community growth opportunities at the grassroots level through the financing of small community driven projects and programmes. Through this intervention, communities will be encouraged to create viable economic interventions which would at the local level stimulate sustainable employment opportunities and for which Government has allocated $115 million for the next four months,” Jordan told the House.
The minister also said that after a long period of inactivity, the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) Programme will be reactivated. He stated that in addition to providing institutional and capacity building support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) within Region 10, the LEN programme will re-launch its business advisory and business incubation services and re-commence SME financing through the LEN Fund.
“To this end, Government has allocated $155 million, in 2015, to support this venture in an effort to re-energize business activity in Linden and its environs,” Jordan told the House which was without the opposition PPP.
